On September 23, Ved Pal Tanwar approached the Delhi High Court to contest his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) related to alleged illegal mining activities in Haryana's Dadam region.

In his petition, Tanwar argued that the ED had not adhered to the mandatory protocols stipulated under Sections 19(1) and 19(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, while noting Tanwar's claims, directed the ED to respond and scheduled a hearing for October 18. Senior Advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey, representing Tanwar, also challenged both the arrest and the trial court's remand order.

Previously, on August 17, the Saket District Court had granted Tanwar eight weeks of interim bail, taking into account his medical records and arguments regarding his health. ASJ Ravindra Kumar Pandey stated that the decision was based on medical assessments indicating that Tanwar required surgery for umbilical hernias.

However, the ED's Special Public Prosecutor, Advocate Zoheb Hossain, opposed the bail, alleging that Tanwar misled the investigation and profited approximately Rs. 37 crore from illegal mining operations.

The ED reported extensive confiscations during a search on August 3, including unaccounted cash, jewelry, and a luxury vehicle, and claimed that Tanwar played a crucial role in unlawfully acquiring mining rights and conducting operations beyond permissible limits.

This case originated from a complaint by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board regarding M/s. Govardhan Mines and Minerals, leading to an FIR under multiple IPC sections due to severe environmental damage and fatalities linked to landslides from illegal mining in the area.

Case Title: DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT VS VED PAL TANWAR (CRL.M.A. 25268/2024)