PANAJI
Khan has been accused of extracting more than eight lakh metric tonnes ore amounting to Rs 320 crore at the Curpem mine, allegedly paid commission to the unknown politician for each metric tone.
Khan allegedly operated these accounts in the Fatorda and Margao branches of Bank of India over the past 10 years. While some accounts were in his name, some in his brother's name or a family member's name. A few accounts have were set up under the name of his sister concern companies.
During the last week, SIT summoned the bank officials for questioning, following which the bank has constituted an expert team to probe the voluminous paperwork pertaining to Khan's transactions.
According to the SIT probe, the decisions pertaining to Khan's mine sprung from a criminal conspiracy involving Khan and the mines minister of 2008-12 and the theft of iron ore from the lease located at TC 65/51. Favourable orders were issued by the department by flouting all the laid down procedures and the mines department had approved the transfer of the mining lease located at Curpem in Sanguem taluka to Khan through POA in violation of the law.
At the time of transfer through POA, the mining lease was in dispute among heirs of the deceased lease holder. Despite the pending dispute, one heir transferred the lease to Khan through POA with Kamat approving the transfer, sources revealed.
However, Figueiredo has deposed before the SIT that Khan did not inform her of his intentions to carry out mining at her lease and that she was not aware that he had secured her signature on the POA, hinting that he did so fraudulently.
