ED summons to collectors: HC to pronounce order on Tuesday

Chennai: The Madras High Court would pronounce orders on Tuesday on the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Government and five district collectors, challenging the summons issued to the Collectors by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with its probe into alleged illegal sand mining in the state.

A division bench comprising Justices S S Sundar and Sundar Mohan on Monday reserved orders for November 28 on the petition filed by the state Public Department Secretary K Nanthakumar on behalf of the Collectors of Ariyalur, Vellore, Thanjavur, Karur and Tiruchirapalli, which sought to quash the summons issued by the ED asking them to appear in person on various dates with details of sand mining in their respective districts.

The bench reserved orders, after hearing elaborate arguments from senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the state government and Additional solicitor general A R L Sunderesan, appearing for the ED.

In his petition, Nanthakumar submitted that under the garb of investigation, the ED has resorted to issuing summons to various district collectors, asking for information on all sand mines in their district in a fishing and roving enquiry.