Former DMK Minister E.V. Velu and son E.V. Kumaran seek anticipatory bail in lake bed mining case
Former DMK Minister E.V. Velu and his son E.V. Kumaran have filed for anticipatory bail regarding allegations of illegal sand mining. The case involves the excavation of over 4.5 million cubic feet of sand from a lake bed to level land for a political conference.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing concerns regarding political corruption and the environmental impact of illegal resource extraction in India.
Former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Minister E.V. Velu, 76, and his son E.V. Kumaran, 48, have filed anticipatory bail petitions before the Madras High Court in a case registered against them for allegedly excavating 45,72,058 cubic feet of sand from Malappambadi lake in Tiruvannamalai district to level the venue for the party’s north zone youth wing conference held on December 14, 2025.
Justice V. Lakshminarayanan on Friday (October 9, 2026) accepted a request made by State Public Prosecutor R. John Sathyan to grant time till Tuesday (October 13, 2026) for filing written objections on behalf of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC). The judge orally advised the prosecution not to take any coercive action until then, since the first petitioner was a septuagenarian.
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