ED arrests Anand Agarwal for ‘excess mining’ in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj

Bhubaneswar: A team of sleuths from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Bhubaneswar has arrested Anand Kumar Agarwal as he previously carried out excess mining than the permitted limit of iron ore from Kasibeda mines in Mayurbhanj district, ED said through a press release today.

Agarwal was arrested on May 18 under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 in the case of Basant Kumar Das & Others. ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR earlier registered by Odisha Vigilance under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Investigation conducted by the ED has revealed that Anand Agarwal, Director of M/s. Siddharth Sponge and Power Private Limited and others were involved in illegal and excess mining of iron ore.

ED had undertaken search operations on several locations linked to them in 2023. They were involved in causing a loss of Rs 21 Crore to the exchequer and were also engaged in illegal extraction to the tune of Rs 35 Crore. Following his arrest, the accused miner was produced before the Special Court (PMLA) in Bhubaneswar. The court has granted custody till May 22, the press release mentioned.

Further investigation is underway, the ED informed.