Illegal Mining In Odisha: ED Attaches ₹8.52 Cr Of Serajuddin & Co

Bhubaneswar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached Rs 8.52 cr of the directors of Serajuddin & co under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

This came eight days after its officials raided the premises of the mining leaseholder on charges of illegal mining of iron and manganese ore and found the money lying in the bank accounts of Seraj Yusha, Meraj Yusha and Yazdani International Pvt. Ltd (part of Serajuddin & Co). The amount kept in Axis Bank has been treated as “proceeds of crime” by Serajuddin & Co. from the illegal mining, the ED said in an official release on Saturday.

It further said that the company extracted manganese ore of 1.43 million tonnes illegally from Guruda manganese ore mines in Keonjhar district without having approved de-reservation proposal. Serajuddin & Co also produced more iron ore during different years in comparison to the approved quantity of iron ore by Indian Bureau of Mines, it said.

ED has already attached movable properties of Rs. 622 crore of Serajuddin & Co. under the provisions of PMLA which has been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority. Subsequently, a Prosecution Complaint has also been filed before the PMLA Special Court in Bhubaneswar.

Further investigation in the matter is underway, it added.