The ED arrested Saraf in November 2025 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and the chargesheet was submitted within 57 days of the arrest. “By adopting these fraudulent methods, the accused engaged in large-scale theft, illegal transportation, and sale of sand, and this led to the undue enrichment of various people.”Illegal sand mining has always remained a contentious issue with the state government. A few years ago, her government introduced auctions of sand blocks to curb smuggling and increase government revenue. However, multiple sources said that despite the government’s efforts to maximise revenue from riverbed minerals, several syndicates mushroomed to collect illegal levy from traders. There have also been complaints of sand being extracted beyond permissible limits, posing a threat to the environment.

Source: The Telegraph January 04, 2026 04:19 UTC