ED submits charge sheet in Rs 145-cr illegal sand mining case
Times of India | 4 January 2026
Kolkata: The ED on Saturday submitted a charge sheet at the special CBI court in connection with illegal sand mining in Bengal, pegging the total financial irregularities at nearly Rs 145 crore.
The charge sheet named 14 companies and 4 individuals, including businessman Arun Saraf and three of his employees. Businessman Anuran Kumar Senapati, who was earlier questioned by ED, was named as a witness in the case. "My client cooperated with the investigating agency," said Senapati's lawyer Sanjib Dan.
The ED probe revealed that illegal sand mining and sales were going on for a long time under the guise of several specific companies. ED claimed Saraf conducted financial transactions through indirect means without maintaining direct accounts in his name.
The investigation found that although Saraf admitted to selling sand worth Rs 103 crore, around Rs 130 crore was deposited into his account.
While Saraf was in ED custody, sand stocks at 13 locations in the state were verified. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for Monday.