DVAC conducts drone survey of irrigation tank in illegal sand mining charge against DMK’s E.V. Velu

The drone survey was conducted in coordination with the Revenue Department, Tiruvannamalai Corporation, and the police to assess the extent of damage done to the water body. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Officials of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) conducted a drone survey of an irrigation tank in Malappambadi village near Tiruvannamalai in connection with allegations of illegal sand mining by former PWD and Highways Minister and senior DMK leader E.V. Velu for the party’s Northern Zone Youth Wing Conference held on December 14, 2025.

DVAC sources said that the drone survey was conducted in coordination with the Revenue Department, Tiruvannamalai Corporation, and the police to assess the extent of damage done to the water body. It will also provide total depth and width of the tank that was mined for the purpose. by illegal sand mining. The survey was monitored by Ganesan, Deputy SP, DVAC (Ranipet), K.Selvam, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), Tiruvannamalai, and K. Balasubramanian, Corporation Commissioner.

The assessment comes in the wake of a complaint filed by Arappor Iyakkam, an NGO, with the DVAC at its headquarters in Chennai on August 13 this year. The complaint alleged that large volumes of sand was illegally mined from the irrigation tank reportedly based on directions by the then PWD and Highways Minister Mr. Velu. The sand theft has reportedly incurred a loss to a tune of ₹8 crore to State exchequer, the complainant claimed.

The sand was mined to reportedly level an open land of 124.56 acres, to organise the DMK’s conference. The conference was attended by former Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin and his son and former Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.

The complaint also alleged that Mr. Velu, who was appointed as DMK’s northern zonal in-charge for 2026 Assembly polls, for personally overseeing and directing the logistical arrangements for the conference. “The sand from the tank bed was illegally mined to a depth of around 10 feet to 23 feet to an extent around 12 acres as against the permissible limit of one metre in depth under Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959. The excavated sand can be used only for local agricultural, pottery and domestic purposes,” the complaint said.

Published - November 04, 2026 12:50 am IST