Madras HC Forms SIT To Probe Illegal Mining Near Western Ghats; Orders Comprehensive Action Plan
The Madras High Court issued the order while hearing Writ Petitions filed by environmental activists seeking the protection of elephant corridors in the Coimbatore Forest Division.

The Madras High Court has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate rampant illegal mining near the reserve forests of the Western Ghats, citing grave environmental devastation and potential organized crime.
A specially constituted forest Bench comprising Justice N. Satish Kumar and Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the order while hearing writ petitions filed by environmental activists seeking the protection of elephant corridors in the Coimbatore Forest Division.
The SIT includes G. Nagajothi, IPS, Superintendent of Police, State Crime Records Bureau, and G. Shashank Sai, IPS, Superintendent of Police, Organised Crime Intelligence Unit. The bench transferred all pending cases to the SIT, granting it the authority to register fresh cases related to illegal quarrying uncovered during its investigation. The court directed the SIT to probe the possibility of a larger conspiracy, including the involvement of "big fish" in the illegal mining operations.
The Court’s decision followed a detailed report from a judicial inspection that exposed widespread illegal mining and unauthorized brick kilns operating in the area despite prior court orders for their closure. The bench criticized the ongoing state investigation, describing it as a "mere eye wash" and expressing suspicion about police complicity in the illegal activities.
"Not even one case has identified the individuals involved in the mining or the destinations for the illegally mined materials. There is a grave suspicion regarding the involvement of both field-level officers and senior officials in the episode," the Court observed.
Court's Directions
In addition to forming the SIT, the Court directed the Vigilance Department, Coimbatore, to investigate the assets of revenue officials and police officers who had served in the area over the past four years. It also instructed the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu to recommend disciplinary action in cases of delinquency.
"Periodical status reports should be filed with reference to the progress of investigation and the investigation will be monitored by this Court. Apart from the investigation, we direct the Vigilance Department, Coimbatore to conduct a discrete enquiry with reference to the assets of the each and every revenue official, be the Village Administrative Officer, the Revenue Inspector, the Tahsildar, the Deputy Tahsildars of these villages and taluk, who worked in these stations for the past four years and also the Station House Officers namely, Inspectors of the concerned Police Stations and the Sub-Inspectors and file a report. We direct the Chief Secretary to the Government, to consider the entire issue and wherever any delinquencies are made out against the higher officials also, recommend appropriate action if necessary," the Court directed.
The Bench proposed utilizing the "Mining Surveillance System" developed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and directed the state’s Department of Information Technology, in collaboration with Anna University's Institute of Remote Sensing, to develop a remote monitoring system within six months.
"A comprehensive system with integrity and reliability shall be developed and put in place within a period of six months. We are not detailing about the appropriate technologies that may be used, be it remote sensing or artificial intelligence systems, usage of satellite enabled technologies. It is not out of place to mention that even before us in the hearing, the Forest Department is able to establish about the conversion of the forest area through Google earth images," the Court said.
Other significant directives included restoring water bodies, leveling trenches, and dismantling illegal roads and bridges to facilitate wildlife movement. The Mining Department was ordered to conduct independent inquiries, levy fines, and utilize the funds for ecological restoration. Additionally, the District Collector was empowered to suspend or transfer Village Administrative Officers (VAOs) found complicit in illegal mining.
The Court emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated effort to address the environmental degradation, preserve the Western Ghats, and hold accountable those responsible for illegal activities. "Immediate steps are to be taken with reference to the levy of the appropriate fine not by adopting a lenient approach but by adopting the appropriate control method to assess the quantum of loss and damage, etc., and the Mining Department shall proceed further in a swift manner to make its own enquiries and conclusions, of course, in tandem with the Investigating Agency and the other authorities in fixing responsibilities and collecting the fine amounts. The fine amounts, so collected, shall be kept in a separate account, which shall be used for restoration of the area by way of carrying out mitigating measures etc.," the Court ordered.
Cause Title: S Muralidharan v. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests [W.P.Nos. 27356 of 2019 and 28266 of 2022]
Appearance:-
Petitioner: Advocate S.P.Chockalingam
Respondent: Additional Advocate General (AAG) J.Ravindran, Special Government Pleader Dr.T.Seenivasan, Standing Counsel V.Gunasekar
Amicus Curiae: Advocates C.Mohan, T.Mohan, M.Santhanaraman
Click here to read/download the Order