Foreign-made weapons, Rs 5 cr cash recovered by ED during raids in Haryana mining case
Chandigarh, Jan 5: Foreign-made rifles, about 300 cartridges, Rs 5 crore in cash and more than 100 liquor bottles have been recovered during searches conducted by the Enforcement Directorate against former INLD MLA Dilbag Singh and his associates, official sources said on Friday.
The central agency had launched raids against Singh and Congress MLA from Sonipat Surender Panwar on Thursday as part of a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in Haryana's Yamunanagar district and some other regions.
Singh is a former Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA from Yamunanagar.
About Rs 5 crore cash, "illegal" foreign-made rifles, around 300 cartridges and bullets, more than 100 liquor bottles, 4-5 kilograms of gold biscuits and jewellery, and documents pertaining to assets in India and abroad have been recovered from the premises linked to Singh and his associates, the sources said.
The searches at some locations are continuing, they said.
Around 20 locations of the two politicians and linked entities in Yamunanagar, Sonipat, Mohali, Faridabad, Chandigarh and Karnal were covered during the raids conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The money laundering case stems from several FIRs registered by Haryana Police to probe alleged illegal mining of boulders, gravel and sand that took place in the past in Yamunanagar and nearby districts even after the lease expiry period and a ban imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The central agency is also probing alleged fraud in the 'e-Ravana' scheme, an online portal that was introduced by the Haryana government in 2020 to simplify collection of royalties and taxes and to prevent tax evasion in mining areas.
The activities were being run by a syndicate allegedly linked to the two politicians, ED sources claimed.
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Rare Kalyani Chalukya-era stepwell discovered in Karnataka’s Gadag district
Gadag: A centuries-old stepwell from the Kalyani Chalukya period is discovered into public in Sudi, a remote village in Karnataka’s Gadag district. The Nagakunda Pushkarani, dating to the 10th-11th century CE, is undergoing extensive restoration under the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage’s ‘Adopt a Monument’ scheme.
The stepwell was focal point of community life and craftsmanship under the reign of Akkadevi, sister of Chalukya king Jayasimha II. It shows the dynasty’s mastery of architecture and water management. Its interior walls are carved with the precision of temple façades, setting it apart from most surviving stepwells in southern India, linking it stylistically to examples in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
After centuries of neglect left its sculptures weathered and its waters dry, the site is now being revived by the Deccan Heritage Foundation India in partnership with Heritage Matters, the Gandipet Welfare Society and the Water Literacy Foundation according to a report published by The HIndu. Work includes structural repairs, removal of invasive vegetation, dredging, stone resetting and landscaping, alongside the restoration of an adjacent mantapa with a large Ganesha idol.
Heritage architect B. Sarath Chandra noted, the project is as much about functionality as aesthetics, with water recharge efforts already underway. Funded by Gandipet Welfare Society founder Rajashree Pinnamenni, the restoration is slated for completion by late 2025, followed by a second phase linking the stepwell to the Jodu Kalasadagudi temple through landscaped pathways.
The report mentions that officials say the revival of Nagakunda Pushkarani could not only reintroduce Sudi’s Chalukya heritage to a wider audience but also serve as a model for conserving other lesser-known monuments across Karnataka.
