The Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s Bengaluru Zonal Office has attached assets worth Rs 5.21 crore belonging to Mineral Enterprises Limited and its officials in a case related to illegal mining, officials said on Sunday, March 19. According to the officials, the assets attached are in the form of six immovable properties owned by the accused.

The ED initiated investigation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Special Investigation Team, and Karnataka Lokayukta, Bengaluru. Mineral Enterprises Limited, unknown government employees and other unknown persons will be probed under various sections of Mines and Minerals Development Regulation Act, and Prevention of Corruption Act, on the basis of directions issued by the Supreme Court.

"The case pertains to trading of illegally mined iron ore by various traders. During investigation under PMLA, it has been noticed that iron ore has been illegally mined, transported and traded without valid permits which caused loss to the exchequer. It has also been noticed that the source of such illegal iron ore are two mines owned by SB Minerals having partners - BP Anand Kumar, Panduranga Singh and Gopal Singh, one mine owned by Shanthlakshmi and J Mithyleswar and one mine owned by Bharat Mines and Minerals having partners BMM Ispat Limited and Dinesh Kumar Singhi," the officials said.

Earlier, the Centrally Empowered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court during its survey of mining leases in the state of Karnataka found gross illegalities with respect to these four mines and kept them in C Category and on the basis of its recommendation, the top court had cancelled their licenses. "Investigation under PMLA has established that the accused have caused wrongful loss to the Government exchequer and corresponding wrongful gain to themselves," said the officials. Further investigation is under progress.