By Trend News Line 2024-04-06 09:57:50.
The Court Accepts Prosecution Complaint Against Mining Businessman and Former Officer
In a recent development, a special court of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, has accepted and taken cognizance of the Prosecution Complaint (PC) filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the owner of three mining crushers and a former mining officer over illegal mining activities in Una district.
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Identification of Suspects
The businessman involved in the case has been identified as Lakhwinder Singh, while the former mining officer is Neeraj Kant.
Charges and Allegations
The court accepted the PC on Friday, with the businessman and the mining officer facing accusations of causing significant losses to the state exchequer amounting to crores of rupees through illegal mining activities in the year 2022-23.
Sources close to the case revealed, “Since the court has accepted the PC against the two suspects, they will be summoned shortly to face court proceedings. The ED filed the PC against the suspects at the PMLA court on March 12. Lakhwinder Singh is the owner of a firm named M/s Lakhwinder Singh, which operates three crushers in district Una.”
Asset Freezing and Investigation
Previously, the ED had frozen assets of the businessman valued at approximately Rs 2.98 crore, including movable assets worth Rs. 13 Lakh and immovable assets worth Rs. 2.85 Crore, under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002.
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The ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered by the Himachal Pradesh police at Una Sadar police station over alleged unauthorized mining activities. The investigation revealed that Singh was running three crusher units.
Illegal Mining and Concealment
M/s Lakhwinder Singh deliberately concealed the actual production by not reporting it in the statutory returns required to be filed under the Himachal Pradesh Minor Minerals (Concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation, and Storage) Rules, 2015. The State Government suffered financial losses through illegal mining and unreported sale of material without payment of statutory dues.
The ED conducted a thorough examination of all the areas where mining was conducted by Lakhwinder Singh in Una, Himachal Pradesh, to determine the extent of illegal mining.
Extent of Illegal Activities
The expert report highlighted instances of excessive and illegal sand mining, far exceeding the recorded volume documented in the state government’s records. Earlier, the ED had conducted searches at 13 locations across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Himachal Pradesh, resulting in the recovery of incriminating material.
As the case progresses, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on the extent of the illegal activities and the individuals involved in the operation. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story..
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