Chandigarh, February 14
The Haryana State Enforcement Bureau has intensified its crackdown on illegal mining, registering 238 cases and arresting 136 individuals in January 2025. During this period, the Bureau team conducted raids at 582 locations across the state concerning the illegal mining of soil/sand/gravel, seizing 258 vehicles on the spot.
Under the efficient leadership of Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur, the Bureau launched a campaign against illegal activities, particularly illegal mining. In this sequence, a fine of Rs 127.86 lakh was imposed on the land mafia involved in illegal mining in January 2025, out of which Rs 63.54 lakh was recovered in the same month (January 2025), and the process of recovering the outstanding fine is ongoing.
The Enforcement Bureau team, taking action against the land mafia involved in illegal mining in district Panchkula, seized 16 vehicles in a single day, including 13 dumpers, one poklane machine, and 2 hydras, and took legal action against the accused. According to the information received, it was revealed that these land mafias, under the guise of valid mining, illegally mined up to 16 feet and stole 94112 DJS of minerals. The department has imposed a fine of Rs 3 crore 70 lakh 43 thousand 600 on the accused.
In 2024, the Bureau, while running a campaign against illegal activities related to 6 departments, 49017 vehicles were checked with the help of transport department , out of which 29281 vehicles were seized. Action was taken against these vehicles by imposing a fine of more than Rs 100 crore 70 lakh.
It is noteworthy that the State Enforcement Bureau was constituted by the Haryana government in the state on July 22, 2023, and since then, the Bureau has been actively working and systematically working against illegal activities. Special campaigns are also conducted by the Enforcement Bureau from time to time, in which the Enforcement Bureau team conducts raids at different places and takes action against illegal activities. He informed that at present, cases related to 6 departments have been taken up by the Enforcement Bureau, which include cases like illegal mining, action against those who steal electricity, prevent water theft, take action against those who smuggle liquor, take action against those who occupy government properties, cutting illegal colonies, etc. At present, 22 police stations of the Enforcement Bureau are being operated in Haryana, where cases related to these departments are registered and action is taken.
In 2024, the State Enforcement Bureau team, formed with the objective of preventing illegal activities, inspected 5792 mining sites. In this case, 1169 cases were registered and 1117 people were arrested and action was taken against them. Out of these, 801 FIRs have been disposed of. He also informed that in the year 2024, 1493 vehicles were found involved in illegal mining related activities by the Enforcement Bureau team. The Bureau imposed a fine of Rs 11 crore 64 lakh on these vehicles, out of which Rs 8 crore 45 lakh was collected as fine.
Similarly, in the year 2024, 39398 FIRs were registered by the Bureau regarding illegal activities related to the electricity corporation, out of which 31110 FIRs were disposed of by the Bureau. He said that an amount of more than Rs 86 crore 81 lakh has been recovered by the Bureau team in the year 2024 regarding cases related to power theft in the state. He informed that in the year 2024, 439 demolition drives were conducted by the Town and Country Planning Department against encroachments, in reference to which 930 FIRs were registered. In this case, 373 people were arrested by the Bureau. He informed that 1404 cases related to the Irrigation Department have been registered by the Bureau, out of which 1240 cases have been disposed of. The Bureau has recovered an amount of Rs 20 lakh 79 thousand in this regard.
Similarly, while taking action against liquor smugglers, the Bureau inspected 12576 sites in the year 2024. In this regard, 659 FIRs were registered by the Bureau, out of which 586 FIRs have been disposed of. In this case, 708 accused were arrested while 90 vehicles were seized. In the year 2024, 6648 liters of raw liquor, 3968.6 liters of lahan, 48110.3 liters of English liquor, 35184.2 liters of country liquor and 12711.8 liters of beer were recovered by the Enforcement Bureau.
Mr. Kapur said that the campaign against illegal mining will continue in the future as well. A policy of zero tolerance will be adopted against such people and strict action will be taken. He also appealed to the general public to ensure that they provide information related to illegal mining to the Enforcement Bureau. The name of the person giving the information will be kept confidential.
