Mr. U. Sagayam, a 2001-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre and former Legal Commissioner and Special Officer of the Madras High Court, has declined to appear before the Special Court for Mines and Minerals in Madurai, citing serious security concerns. He had been summoned to testify in connection with the multi-crore illegal granite mining scam he unearthed in 2014.
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In a letter addressed to the Special Public Prosecutor, Mr. Sagayam stated he was “unable to travel to Madurai and provide evidence” due to the withdrawal of his security detail by the Tamil Nadu government. He described the move as “biased, flawed, and unfair,” warning that his life was in danger given the powerful interests he had exposed.
Mr. Sagayam pointed out that the authorities had failed to consider the influence and criminal background of those involved in the mining mafia. He cited recent incidents, including the murder of whistleblower Jagabar Ali in Pudukottai and the attempted killing of Zakir Hussain in Tirunelveli, as examples of the grave risk faced by activists and officials who challenge illegal mining operations.
In his communication, Mr. Sagayam urged the court to be informed of his inability to comply with the summons until his security is restored. He also wrote to the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court seeking intervention and protection. “It is a free run for the hardcore criminals,” he stated in his letter, underlining the threat faced by law-abiding citizens and whistleblowers.
The Trail of the Granite Scam
Mr. Sagayam was first appointed to investigate illegal granite mining in 2014 by the Madras High Court. His detailed report, submitted in November 2015, spanned over 600 pages and exposed a vast mining mafia operating in and around Melur in Madurai district since the 1990s. He estimated a loss of Rs. 1 lakh crore to the exchequer due to illegal extraction and linked several senior government officials to the scam, including two former District Collectors and officers of Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited (TAMIN).
The investigation began in 2011 when then Justice K. Chandru directed a probe into PRP Exports, a major granite exporter, and nullified an earlier order that had cleared the firm of wrongdoing. In May 2012, Mr. Sagayam, then the District Collector of Madurai, submitted a confidential report alleging illegal mining worth Rs. 16,000 crore. He was transferred a day later.
His successor, Mr. Anshul Mishra, intensified the crackdown—shutting 94 quarries and freezing several bank accounts. This led to further inquiries and action against officials and private firms. In 2013, the High Court formally appointed Mr. Sagayam as Commissioner of Inquiry in response to a PIL.
His final report pegged the losses at Rs. 65,154.60 crore and projected recoverable penalties at approximately Rs. 1.06 lakh crore. A total of 98 FIRs were filed in 2012–13 against several private players, including Olympus Granites (allegedly linked to Mr. Durai Dayanidhi, son of then Union Minister M.K. Alagiri), PRP Exports, and Sindhu Granites.
Current Scenario
Mr. Sagayam has made it clear that he will not attend any future hearings unless his security is restored. He has also demanded stern action against those complicit in threatening whistleblowers, including some police officials. His refusal to appear in court once again brings the granite scam—and the high personal cost of exposing it—into the spotlight.
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