The Superintendent of Police (Madurai District) V. Balakrishnan has informed the Department of Income Tax officials about the confiscated properties from the P.R. P. Granites for further investigations.
According to reliable sources in the Police Department, a week ago, the police had conducted surprise checks on some of the residences and office premises of Palanichamy, partner of PRP Granites. Some other associates of the granite baron also came under the police scanner. Simultaneous checks led to seizure of incriminating documents and cash over Rs. 15 lakh. Many sale deed copies of immovable properties registered in different names in many sub-registrar offices were recovered from a house in Melur.
The teams had also seized some cartridges from one of the associate of Mr. Palanichamy, in a building near Melur and asked for discreet response since it was possessed by a licensed holder.
Under such circumstances, the Superintendent of Police had written a letter to the Department of Income Tax authorities about the confiscated properties. Officials in the Income Tax Department (Investigation) said that they have received a letter from the police in this regard.
District Collector Anshul Mishra, who has been heading the inspection of 175 granite quarries with 18 teams of senior officials, said on Sunday that a large number of violations had been found in the functioning of the granite mining. Close to 170 quarries have been inspected and the remaining five would be finished in a couple of days, he added.
The list of granite quarry operators and the nature of violations allegedly committed by them is being prepared. The biggest challenge now is the calculation of the total volume of granite stones being illegally mined by the erring operators, which would be arrived at. The teams, which comprise over 500 officials, are working and the comprehensive report would be sent to the government soon, he told .
