The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stepped up its crackdown on the alleged sand mafia operating in Odisha’s Ganjam district, issuing summons to accused individuals one after another as part of an ongoing money-laundering investigation. Former Youth Congress leader Biswajit Patra is among those summoned and is likely to appear before the ED’s Bhubaneswar office for questioning.
Sources said the ED recently conducted a search at Patra’s residence in Berhampur and is now examining his financial links in connection with illegal sand mining activities. The summons is part of a broader effort to trace the money trail and identify beneficiaries of the alleged illegal operations in the district.
Earlier, on January 16, the ED carried out simultaneous raids at the residences of more than six suspected sand mafia operators across multiple locations in Ganjam district. During the searches, officials recovered unaccounted cash worth ₹2.63 crore, reportedly found stacked inside cupboards at the accused persons’ houses.
In addition to cash seizures, the agency also confiscated around 10 high-end vehicles believed to have been purchased using proceeds from illegal sand mining. The probe widened further with searches conducted at the residence of BJD leader Hrushikesh Padhi.
ED officials are currently analysing seized documents, digital data, and financial assets to establish the scale and structure of the alleged money-laundering network. More summons are expected to be issued in the coming days, with further action dependent on the outcome of the questioning and evidence gathered.
