The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at multiple locations in Nangal sub-division of Ropar district in Punjab over the last two days, the sites, including those earlier attached by the central agency in connection with an alleged illegal mining and money laundering case.
According to sources, ED teams visited attached properties in Majari and Bhallan villages where large-scale illegal mining is alleged to have taken place on the properties attached by the agency. The raids are understood to be part of the agency's continuing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) into an alleged mining syndicate operating in the region.
The Nangal SDM had earlier registered a case against unidentified individuals involved in illegal mining on properties attached by the ED.
Though the ED did not issue an official statement on the raids, sources said the teams carried out inspections, verified records and examined the attached properties as part of the ongoing investigation.
The latest action follows the ED's attachment of around 250 kanals of land spread across Nangal and Nurpur Bedi in Ropar district, Garhshankar in Hoshiarpur district and Machhiwara in Ludhiana district. The attachment was made after the agency concluded that the properties had allegedly been purchased using proceeds generated from illegal mining.
The attachment order was issued by the ED on October 17, 2025, under Section 5(5) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The agency had launched its money laundering probe after registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on February 14, 2024, based on an FIR lodged by the Nangal police on October 17, 2023, relating to alleged illegal mining activities.
The attached properties stand in the names of Baljinder Singh, Nasib Chand, Pankaj Kumar (son of Nasib Chand) and Darshana Devi (wife of Nasib Chand). While the registered value of the attached properties has been estimated at Rs 4.10 crore, officials believe their prevailing market value is substantially higher.
In its attachment order, the ED alleged that the accused had failed to establish that the money used for acquiring the properties came from legitimate business activities.
The ED investigation further alleged that fake GST invoices and forged mining slips were used to launder money generated through illegal mining and to project the proceeds as legitimate business income.
When contacted on Thursday, Nangal SDM Sachin Pathak confirmed that he had learnt about the ED raids but said the local administration had not received any formal communication from the agency regarding the operation.
"I have come to know that ED teams are conducting raids in the area, but no official information has been shared with the local authorities," Pathak said.