The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached agricultural lands and real estate worth nearly ₹30 crore in Ludhiana and other districts of Punjab in connection with a illegal mining syndicate against whom multiple FIRs were registered by Haryana Police.

According to ED, its Gurugram Zonal Office has attached 44 immovable properties spread over 85 acres in Ludhiana, Roop Nagar, SAS Nagar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and other districts. The assets belong to Kuldeep Singh Makkar, Angad Singh Makkar, Puneet Singh Makkar and their business entities against whom the action has been taken under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The investigation stems from multiple FIRs lodged by Haryana Police against mining companies and contractors accused of illegal mining of sand, Boulder-Gravel and Boulder-Gravel-Sand in Yamuna Nagar. Among the firms named were M/s Mubarikpur Royalty Company, M/s Development Strategies (India) Pvt Ltd, M/s Delhi Royalty Company, M/s JSM Foods Pvt Ltd and M/s PS Buildtech, along with several screening plants, stone crushers and associated persons.

The ED said its probe revealed that the illegal mining operations generated over ₹300 crore in proceeds of crime, with more than ₹110 crore allegedly accruing to Angad Singh Makkar and his family. Probe also revealed that Mubarikpur Royalty Company and associated syndicate members have done mining on unauthorized lands and beyond permissible limits and by generating fake e-Rawanas. The sale proceeds of mined minerals of all the mining entities used to come in cash only, which was distributed amongst these members being beneficiaries of the mining entities in an organised manner.

The case has already seen major enforcement action as earlier, the ED during a search, arrested Dilbag Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Surender Panwar and Angad Singh Makkar under Section 19 of PMLA and provisionally attached properties worth Rs. 122 Crore (approx.) of Dilbag Singh and his associates including Angad Singh Makkar which was later confirmed by the Ld. Adjudicating Authority. 

"During the search action, incriminating evidences were recovered indicating that the persons involved in syndicate mining were in receipts of huge cash receipts out of such mining activities. Such documents were also corroborated with the statements of the employees and the huge money earned by this syndicate mining group by laundering the funds were also investigated upon. Further, one Prosecution Complaint has been filed before the Hon’ble Special Court, Ambala in this case wherein the cognizance has been taken by the Ld. Court" said ED.

Ed ludhiana punjab illegal mining case property attachment enforcement directorate pmla sand mining scam assets seizure money laundering