Overview
- The court directed Tamil Nadu to file a tabulated list of all FIRs on alleged sand or mineral theft, including those closed as false, with the status of each investigation.
- The case arises from a petition challenging a June 2025 Madras High Court order that closed pleas after the state said quarrying had ceased, with the petitioner now seeking a CBI investigation.
- The bench questioned the state’s practice of relying on the Mines and Minerals law instead of registering theft offences that could serve as PMLA predicates.
- The judges suggested the state could volunteer an independent inquiry or propose appointing a retired judge to oversee it, and listed the matter for further hearing in about three weeks.
- The ED has alleged rampant illegal extraction causing losses of roughly ₹4,730 crore based on drone and satellite studies, while the state says private mining is banned, monitoring is in place, and ED’s assessment is presumptive.