ED Uncovers ₹131 Crore Sand Scam in Banka District, Bihar. Involvement of Politicians and Associates Suspected in Illegal Mining. Re-registration of FIR Recommended.
Banka Sand Scam: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has exposed a major financial scam in the Banka district of Bihar. This scam is related to illegal sand mining, with an estimated ₹131.43 crore of illicit earnings. The involvement of some politicians and their associates is also suspected in this case.
Case Originates from 2017-18
Banka Police had registered seven FIRs against a company named Mahadev Enclave in the years 2017-2018. The allegation was that the company mined more sand than the prescribed limit and traded it illegally.
According to the mining department, Mahadev Enclave was permitted to mine sand from 28 river ghats in the Banka district between 2015 and 2021. However, the company violated the rules and carried out large-scale mining outside the designated area.
Charge Sheet and Court Proceedings
In these cases, the police completed the investigation and filed a charge sheet, naming Manoj Kumar Pachisia, the director of the company, as the main accused. However, after the case lingered in court for a long time, it was sent to the Lok Adalat in February 2023, where the case was closed after imposing a fine.
ED Reopens Investigation
Despite the case being closed in the Lok Adalat, the Enforcement Directorate reopened the matter and initiated an investigation under suspicion of money laundering. The ED registered a case under the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) and began investigating the on-ground evidence.
Major Disclosure from IIT Patna's Geospatial Report
The ED commissioned a geospatial report from IIT Patna in this matter. The report found that approximately 11.99 crore cubic meters of sand were illegally mined from 2016 to 2021. This caused a loss of approximately ₹131.43 crore to the state government.
Lok Adalat Decision Obstructs ED's Investigation
The compounding of the case by the Lok Adalat has affected the ED's legal action. In such a situation, the ED has now recommended that the Bihar government re-register the FIR. Also, the role of some leaders and their associates is suspected in the money transactions and money trail investigation.
Demand for Investigation of Political Involvement
The ED has also suggested that a high-level investigation should be conducted in this matter to clarify which political figures have benefited from this illegal mining and financial irregularities. Currently, it is not clear which leaders' names are under investigation, but the agency's stance indicates that major revelations may occur in the future.
