The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption has registered a case against former Tamil Nadu water resources minister Durai Murugan and several officials, individuals and firms over alleged irregularities in river sand mining between 2021 and 2024, following searches at 34 locations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The agency’s case includes three retired and serving officials, 14 public servants and 10 private individuals and firms, according to the report. The accused include A Muthaiya and Ramamoorthi, both retired engineers-in-chief of the state water resources department.
DVAC officials conducted the searches on Friday and seized 825 documents, 11 electronic devices and three bank locker keys. The agency said its investigation was continuing.
The case was registered on the recommendation of the Enforcement Directorate’s Chennai office. The recommendation followed complaints filed with the ED by S Tamilselvan and Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam against the former minister and others.
The complaints relate to alleged irregularities in contracts for sand mining at 28 quarries across Tamil Nadu. The allegations include awarding contracts through limited tenders instead of open tenders, extracting sand beyond approved mining plans and fabricating vouchers in the name of permit slips to facilitate illegal transportation.
According to the complaints, these practices caused an alleged loss of Rs 1,427.34 crore to the government. The amount was calculated in relation to four of the 28 quarries cited in the complaints. The figure is an allegation contained in the complaints and will be subject to the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings.
The case places the state’s river sand administration under scrutiny because quarry contracting, extraction limits, permit documentation and transportation controls determine how a publicly managed natural resource enters the construction supply chain. The allegations also concern the functioning of the water resources department, whose officials and former senior engineers are among those named in the case.
The searches and seizure of documents and electronic devices are part of the investigative process. The report does not establish that the allegations have been proved in court, and the registration of a case does not by itself establish criminal liability for any accused person or entity.
DVAC is continuing its investigation into the alleged contracting and extraction practices across the identified quarries. Further action will depend on the agency’s findings and the legal process that follows.
