PANAJI
The case was registered against them on September 15, 2014.
Sameer and Arjun Salgaocar had secured anticipatory bail in the matter on October 9, 2015 and were accordingly released on payment of Rs One lakh and one surety each.
Police said that between 2006 and 2011, the Salgaocars, directors of Kantilal and Company Pvt Ltd, former urban development minister Joaquim Alemao and others allegedly illegally extracted iron ore at Asni Dongar, Curdi and Kurpem in Sanguem taluka.
Meanwhile, the allegedly illegally extracted ore continues to lie in a dump at the mine and has not been transported from the site.
Addressing media persons at Police Headquarters, Superintendent of Police in-charge of SIT Priyanka Kashyap stated: “This was a formal arrest before filing charge sheet in the case. Arrangements have been made and the procedure for chargesheeting has been completed. We will file it in a day or two.”
She informed that the chargesheet will include the names of the Salgaocar brothers and the name of Alemao will not feature in it.
It was also revealed that, as against the earlier allegation of Alemao acting as contractor at the mine, that he was only involved in transporting the ore.
“The offence occurred from 2006 onwards, when Alemao had resigned from government office. He was not in office during the period of offence. Also, there is no evidence to chargesheet him,” SP Kashyap informed.
On September 15, 2014, SIT had registered FIR under certain sections of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 read with Section 21 (1) (2) of the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and Section 2 read with Section 3A of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The complainant was Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya.
Highly placed sources informed that Kantilal and Co had allegedly undertaken reconnaissance and excavation in Sanguem mine in absence of required permissions from the Directorate of Mines.
However, the company paid royalty to the Directorate. of Mines.
