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The Directorate of Enforcement has provisionally attached immovable and movable properties worth Rs 14.21 crore in the alleged case of illegal red earth mining in Tamil Nadu by family members and associates of K Ponmudy, DMK leader and the state minister of higher education, said the agency in a press release.
ED initiated an investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the District Crime Branch, Villupuram, under various sections of IPC, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018 against K. Ponmudi, P. Gautham Sigamani and others. "ED investigation revealed that during the years between 2007 and 2010, when K. Ponmudy was the Minister of Mines, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, he managed to allot 5 licences in the names of Dr. P. Gautham Sigamani, K.S. Rajamahendran (brother-in-law of Dr. Gautham Sigamani) and Jayachandran, who admitted to acting on behalf of Gautam Sigamani for quarrying Red Earth in Patta Lands. The investigation revealed that the Red Earth was extracted illegally beyond the permitted limits to the tune of Rs. 25.7 crore. The ED investigation also revealed that the sale proceeds were invested in the overseas entity," said ED. Earlier, searches were conducted during the month of July 2023, resulting in the seizure of cash totaling Rs. 81.42 lakh, along with unexplained foreign currency primarily in British pounds equivalent to approximately Rs. 13 lakh, and the freezing of amounts to the tune of Rs. 41.9 crore lying in the form of fixed deposits, the ED said. "Further, immovable properties held in the name of K.S. Raja Mahendran & his entities, totally valued at Rs. 5.47 crore and movable properties held in the name of M/s. Confluence (an entity belonging to the wife of Dr. Gautham Sigamani), lying in the form of Bank FDs and bank balances totally valued at Rs. 8.74 crore, aggregating to Rs. 14.21 crore, have been identified and provisionally attached," said the ED. Further investigation is in progress. (ANI)
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