The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has flagged a ₹131 crore sand mining scam in Bihar’s Banka district, involving possible political links. The case began after Banka police filed seven FIRs between 2017 and 2018 against Mahadev Enclave and its promoters for illegal sand mining. The company was the sole licensee to extract sand from 28 river banks between 2015 and 2021.
Despite police investigations and chargesheets citing cheating, forgery, and violations of mining and environmental laws, delays in court proceedings led to the case being settled in a 2023 Lok Adalat. The accused were let off after paying a penalty, which limited further criminal action.
The ED then launched a money laundering probe based on the police chargesheets, collecting evidence and statements, including from local mining officials. However, since the original criminal cases were compounded, the ED’s ability to prosecute was restricted. Recently, the ED informed Bihar’s Mines and Geology department, sharing a geospatial report from IIT Patna. The report revealed that nearly 12 crore cubic meters of sand were illegally excavated by Mahadev Enclave between 2016 and 2021, prompting calls for a fresh FIR and further investigation into the scam.
