In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Haryana Congress MLA Surender Panwar and his son Lalit on Saturday. The arrests are linked to an alleged money laundering case involving illegal mining activities in Yamunanagar district, Haryana.

The probe into the matter began last year after the Haryana Police registered multiple FIRs against Panwar and other individuals regarding illicit mining operations. The ED took over the investigation, uncovering a complex web of illegal activities.

In January, authorities raided 20 locations associated with Panwar, former Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) legislator Dilbag Singh, and related entities. These raids spanned across Yamunanagar, Sonipat, Mohali, Faridabad, Chandigarh, and Karnal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). During these operations, Singh and his associate Kulwinder Singh were also arrested.

The case involves extensive illegal mining of sand, boulders, and gravel in Yamunanagar and neighbouring districts, allegedly implicating both Singh and Panwar along with their associates. Panwar, an MLA from Sonipat, and Singh, a former MLA from Yamunanagar, are deeply entrenched in the mining business.

The ED’s investigation, prompted by multiple FIRs filed by the Haryana Police and directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), revealed illegal excavation and sale of minerals by various screening plant owners and stone crushers in Yamunanagar. The probe uncovered evasion tactics, including the failure to generate proper e-Rawana bills and the production of fake physical copies to avoid detection.

The federal agency seized a substantial amount of evidence during the investigation, including Rs 5.29 crore in cash, gold valued at Rs 1.89 crore, two vehicles, electronic devices, investment-related documents (both domestic and foreign), and other incriminating materials.