ED Attaches Over ₹1,000 Crore Assets In Goa Illegal Iron Ore Mining Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth more than ₹1,000 crore in connection with the large-scale illegal iron ore mining case in Goa.

The attached properties include land parcels, mining leases, residential and commercial buildings, and bank accounts allegedly linked to a powerful nexus of miners, transporters, and politicians involved in the extraction and export of iron ore without valid permits.

According to the ED, the illegal mining racket was active for several years, causing massive revenue loss to the state exchequer and environmental damage in Goa. The agency initiated the probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following complaints and inputs from other investigating agencies.

ED officials said the attached assets belong to several key accused, including mining lease holders and their benami operators. Some of the properties are reportedly linked to influential figures who benefited from the illegal extraction and export of iron ore, especially during periods when mining was officially banned or restricted in the state.

This is one of the biggest attachments by the ED in Goa in recent years. The agency has been aggressively pursuing cases related to illegal mining, claiming that the racket involved laundering of proceeds through shell companies and investments in real estate.

The development has sent ripples across Goa’s political and business circles. Opposition parties have demanded a fair and time-bound investigation, while the ruling dispensation has welcomed the action, stating that no one will be spared.

The ED has assured that further investigations are underway and more attachments and arrests are likely in the coming days.