Chandigarh: The directorate of enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 56.97 crore in a case involving a Hisar-based mining company and its owners, inclyding Vedpal Singh Tanwar , under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The assets belong to Goverdhan Mines and Minerals (GMM), Hisar, Haryana, and the attached movable assets include cash, bank accounts, jewellery, high-end luxury items, cars and more.
They value Rs 4.8 crore. The immovable properties, worth Rs 52.
2 crore, include farmhouses, agricultural land, residential plots, houses, flats, and a commercial office. Tanwar, a politically connected entrepreneur, had hit the headlines when his syndicate of mining companies were found to have violated environmental laws in mining zones. Tanwar, in connivance with his associates, formed GMM and obtained a mining lease of ‘Dadam Hill’ located in Tosham village of Bhiwani district in 2019.
It has been alleged that he acquired ill-gotten money by illegal, unscientific mining beyond the mining area and in contravention of provisions of Environment Protection (EP) Act, 1986, causing huge loss to the ex-chequer and corresponding gains to themselves. Rampant illegal mining in the area had caused landslides, killing five workers. On May 30 this year, Tanwar was arrested by ED in the money laundering case.
Later, he was released on interim bail on medical grounds. The attachment of properties has come consequent to a prosecution complaint filed by Hary.