the goan I network
PANAJI
The hearing of the anticipatory bail application of former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and other former officials of the mines department is scheduled to come up before the special court in Panaji on Monday.
The Court had previously extended Digambar’s ex-parte interim anticipatory bail till May 29.
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Goa Police Crime Branch has summoned top officials of eight prominent mining companies in the state to remain present before the investigating officer from May 30 till June 8 for questioning in connection with their role in the alleged Rs 35,000 illegal mining scam case.
These mining companies are -- Sociedade de Fomento Industries Pvt Ltd, Damodar Mangalji & Co Ltd, G N Agarwal Mining Pvt Ltd, H I Nathurmal, Bandekar Brother Pvt Ltd (RNSB Group),
Timble Pvt Ltd, Chowgule and Company Ltd and Talaulikar & Sons Pvt Ltd.
According to the report of the Justice (retd) M B Shah Commission, illegal mining had taken place in Goa between 2005 and 2012 causing a loss to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore to the state exchequer.
Mines department had lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch on July 26, 2013. Following this, on August 19, 2013, the Crime Branch registered the FIR against all those listed in the reports submitted by the Shah Commission, the Public Accounts Committee and the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee.
The Special Investigation Team was instituted in the last week of August 2013.
Along with the then mines director and Kamat, who held the mines portfolio for over a decade, other accused in the case include Shobhana Rivonkar, Baban Gaonkar and Robert Gonsalves.
The accused were booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy, mines and minerals development rules, Goa Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation, Storage of Minerals) Rules, 2004, mineral conservation and development rules and Prevention of Corruption Act.
