Even as PRP Granites and PRP Exports are gearing up to resume operation of their state-of-the-art granite polishing unit citing a High Court order, revenue and police officials inspected their sprawling unit premises at Therkkutheru near here on Thursday.
As information of the inspection leaked, a battery of advocates gathered at site early in the morning. Led by advocate V.R. Manoharan, they registered their objection to the inspection without a search warrant by Revenue Divisional Officer (Madurai) G. Senthilkumari and Additional Superintendent of Police John Rose.
Mr Rose said a recent High Court order, which allowed the quarry operator to resume his operation outside Madurai district, did not say anything on his prayer seeking to resume operation of the factory.
Later, different teams inspected various wings of the factory set up on around 70 acres along Madurai-Tiruchi Highway, amidst heavy police deployment.
The RDO made random verification of polished granite slabs that had been seized by police teams probing the multi-crore granite scam in August 2012. Since then the factory remains defunct.
An officer said the inspection came in the wake of PRP Granites and PRP Exports informing the district authorities of their intention to resume operation at the factory, where granite cutting, polishing and packing were done for export.
Out of the 90 police cases registered for illegal granite quarrying in Madurai district, 56 were against PRP Granites and PRP Exports, an officer said.
Officials inspected Periya Usilangulam, Eliyankulam and Malaivetti tank situated behind the factory.
