In a major development in the ongoing investigation against unlawful quarrying activities, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly taken veteran Sonepat MLA Surender Panwar into custody late last night in connection with a money laundering case linked with irregular mining practices across certain regions of Haryana. Sources claim the influential 55-year-old leader was picked up from his residence in Gurugram by ED officials handling the matter.
The agency has been probing financial irregularities and violation of environmental guidelines since a few months now after multiple FIRs were registered by state police alleging large-scale illegal mining continued without statutory approvals in Yamunanagar and nearby areas disregarding directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). As part of its financial probe under criminal statutes, the ED had earlier raided premises of former INLD MLA Dilbagh Singh and had detained him alongside some associates.
It is alleged the misuse of an online portal ‘e-Ravana’ launched by the state government to streamline statutory levies and ensure transparency resulted in lost revenues. The scheme has now come under the scanner for purported loopholes exploited by vested interests involved in unlawful extraction activities.
The detention of the prominent Congress legislator is believed to have stemmed from evidence gathered by ED pointing to his suspected role in financial crimes during the unlawful mining operations. Official confirmations are however awaited on the specific charges invoked to detain him and future legal course of the ongoing investigation.
