EV Velu accused of illegal lake-bed mining for political event

The anti-corruption NGO Arappor Iyakkam has requested the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to register an FIR and investigate former PWD and Highways Minister EV Velu for alleged large-scale illegal mining.

The NGO alleges that between November 2025 and early December 2025, approximately 45 lakh cubic feet of soil was illegally excavated from the Malappambadi lake bed in Tiruvannamalai. The complaint claims the material was used to level land for a DMK Youth Wing conference held in December 2025 at a venue owned by Velu’s son, EV Kumaran.

Arappor Iyakkam estimates the government loss at over Rs 8 crore and warns that the excavation, which reached depths of 10 to 23 feet across 12 acres, has caused environmental and agricultural damage. This follows a previous DVAC case involving Velu regarding alleged irregularities in Highways Department tender allocations.