Haryana Congress MLA Surender Panwar, former INLD legislator Dilbag Singh control illegal mining syndicate: ED
New Delhi, July 22
The Enforcement Directorate on Monday alleged that arrested Haryana Congress MLA Surender Panwar and former INLD legislator Dilbag Singh, their family members and associates “control and manage” an illegal mining syndicate in the state’s Yamunanagar district that has generated Rs 500 crore in slush funds.
Panwar, the 55-year-old legislator from the Sonepat Assembly seat of Haryana, was arrested by the federal probe agency last week under the anti-money laundering law and is currently in ED custody.
Dilbag Singh and his aide Kulwinder Singh were arrested in the same case in January after the ED filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED case stems from multiple FIRs filed by the Haryana Police under various sections of the IPC and the Environment Protection Act to probe “illegal” mining of sand, boulder and gravel in Yamunanagar by mining lease holder companies like Mubarikpur Royalty Company, Development Strategies (India) Pvt Ltd, Delhi Royalty Company, JSM Foods Pvt Ltd, PS Buildtech, and various stone crushers.
“The syndicate of illegal mining in Yamunanagar area is controlled, managed and run by Surender Panwar, MLA, Dilbag Singh, ex MLA and their family members, and other key associates,” the ED alleged in a statement.
It said that Panwar and his family members are “major” shareholders in Development Strategies (India) Pvt Ltd., which is allegedly involved in
“illegal mining and part of the mining syndicate.”
The agency said the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had imposed a penalty of Rs 2.5 crore on Development Strategies (India) Pvt Ltd, Rs 4.2 crore against Delhi Royalty Company and Rs 12 crore on Mubarikpur Royalty Company for “violating” environmental norms including illegal mining, diversion of river flow, etc.
The total proceeds of crime generated out of illegal mining activity in this case is estimated to be more than Rs 500 crore, it claimed.
Congress MP Deepender Hooda had accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of misusing central agencies against opposition leaders following Panwar’s arrest on July 20.
The state will go to polls later this year.
