ED And IT Raids: ED And IT Raids On Mining Irregularities, Ongoing Searches In Karimnagar, Hyderabad: ED, IT increased aggression against mining irregularities. ED and IT are conducting a joint operation against mining irregularities. Massive ED and IT searches are being conducted in Karimnagar and Hyderabad. IT and ED searches are going on in 30 areas in two places. A CBI case was registered earlier against Karimnagar granite irregularities.
ED and IT have increased aggression against mining irregularities. ED and IT are conducting a joint operation against mining irregularities. Massive ED and IT searches are being conducted in Karimnagar and Hyderabad. IT and ED searches are going on in 30 areas in two places. A CBI case was registered earlier against Karimnagar granite irregularities. Along with the CBI, a case has been registered against the granite irregularities in the ED. Arvind Vyasi, the owner of Irving Granite, is being searched at both places. The searches of ED and IT officials are going on in Somajiguda and Hyderguda Janapriya in Hyderabad. Somajiguda granite trader Sridhar’s residence is being searched.
The granite quarry operators have complained that FEMA regulations have been violated. Earlier ED issued notices to 8 agencies. ED, IT is inquiring about exports to foreign countries due to low quantity and high export. There have been allegations of irregularities in income tax payments. Earlier, ED issued notices to Swetha Agency, ASYU Shipping, JM Boxy, Maithili Adhitya Transport, Arvind Granites, Shandia Agencies, PSR Agencies, KVA Energy, and Srivenkateswara Granites. There are allegations that the excavations were carried out beyond the scope despite obtaining permission from the mining department.
There are allegations of money laundering in violation of FEMA regulations. ED is investigating granite exports to foreign countries. The IT department is investigating income tax evasion. The ED raided the house of Aravinda Granites owner Jagannath Vyas in Karimnagar. Searches are going on at Pagan Walia’s garnet merchant’s house in Karimnagar Shastri Road.
There are more than 350 granite companies in the combined Karimnagar district. Most of these are political leaders. One of them is Minister Gangula Kamalakar. There are some granite companies under his direction. The CBI had previously issued a notice on the scam in 2012.
The CBI stepped into the fray on the complaint of the BJP leaders. Between 2011-2013, thousands of crores of granite were exported from Karimnagar to Kakinada port and Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh. There are allegations that the shipping agencies have committed fraud of hundreds of crores by exporting the goods with fraudulent accounts. At that time, lakhs of tons of granite stone were exported from these two ports. The Vigilance officials, who detected the irregularities at that time, imposed a heavy fine.
The orders of that day were to pay about 750 crores to the government. The BJP leaders filed a complaint with the CBI in November last year regarding the case. Although there are many organizations involved in this case, it is being spread that the actions are aimed at Minister Gangula Kamalakar. The CBI ACB department in Visakhapatnam has previously issued notices to mining companies and shipping agencies on the orders of the Delhi CBI. How much cargo was exported from the ports? Are there permits? Why is the delinquent fee not paid? It seems that such questions are in that notice.
The granite business of the joint Karimnagar district has special recognition at the international level. Especially the big stones from the district are exported to different countries from Kakinada, Krishnapatnam, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam ports. At that time, many companies received complaints that they had committed irregularities by measuring less than the quantity of stone moved.
A penalty of Rs 124.94 crore was imposed on the respective granite companies as the irregularities were revealed in the inspections conducted by the vigilance officials in 2013. It was ordered to pay Rs.749 crores in five installments. At that time, some granite companies went to court and paid some fines. The rest are working without pay.
At that time Bandi Sanjay and local lawyer BJP leader Mahender Reddy also complained to ED. They submitted a petition saying that they are depleting the government’s revenue by working for a long time. Although there was some movement in the past, the investigation did not go ahead. Recently, it is reported that these searches are being conducted once again with the complaint of Shekhar Rao from Hyderabad. Arvind Vyas near Kaman in Karimnagar, Shweta Granites in Mankamma garden, and granite merchant Pagan Walia’s house on Shastri Road in Karimnagar are also being searched.
