Supreme Court Setback For Tamil Nadu In Probe Into Illegal Sand Mining

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed four District Collectors in Tamil Nadu to appear and respond to the summons issued by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the “illegal” sand mining case, saying the State’s legal fight against the Central agency was “strange, unusual and thoroughly misconceived in law”.

“The District Collectors are bound to provide information to the ED. We are taking a stand here. You [State of Tamil Nadu] made an unnecessary issue out of nothing,” Justice Bela M. Trivedi, heading a Division Bench addressed senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Mukul Rohatgi and Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for Tamil Nadu and the District Collectors in question.

The apex court lifted the stay passed by the Madras High Court in November last year on the ED summons to the District Collectors. The State and the District Collectors had separately moved the High Court against the summons. The next hearing in the High Court is scheduled on March 5. But the Bench said the High Court case may have become infructuous now.