Illegal granite export issue resurfaces in Karimnagar

The issue of illegal export of granite once again came to the fore with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announcing a CID probe into the alleged racket. 

Granite blocks from the district are being exported to China and other countries through different ports in Andhra Pradesh. 

In 2019, there were allegations that a few granite agencies exported granite blocks by evading tax.

Based on the complaint, Vigilance and Enforcement probed the allegations and found that nine granite agencies exported granite blocks by



evading Rs 124 crore in tax. The Vigilance department, in its report, recommended imposition of a five-time penalty on the agencies, amounting to Rs 749 crore in total.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar also lodged a complaint with the Union government in July 2019. In 2021, the Enforcement Directorate also probed the case.

The ED had initiated an investigation under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, into the export of granite blocks from Karimnagar to various countries through Kakinada and Krishnapatnam ports.