T.N. sand mining scam | ED writes to Income Tax department and GST council on tax evasion
The Enforcement Directorate which is probing serious irregularities in sand mining in Tamil Nadu has written to the Income Tax Department and GST pointing to a huge tax evasion and called for necessary action.
After conducting searches at sand mining sites, stockyards, office and residential premises of accused persons, including contractors and private persons at many locations across Tamil Nadu on September 12, 2023, the ED unearthed incriminating documents, including fake bills of sand sales and counterfeit QR codes which suggested GST losses to the Central and State governments.
As part of the probe, investigators roped in the expertise of IIT-Kanpur to conduct a technical study of all the sand mining sites using drones, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey, bathymetric analysis and satellite imagery processing. The study established that there was excessive mining in the mining sites and its adjoining areas. While the actual cost of sand mined was estimated at Rs.4,730 crore, the revenue shown in the book of accounts was only Rs. 36.45 crore, sources in the agency said.
