PANAJI
The Special Investigation Team of Goa police probing the Rs 35,000-crore illegal mining scam on Wednesday carried out a search at the residence of Maria Figueiredo at Loutolim, who is the lease holder for the mine in Curpem in Sanguem taluka where accused Imran Khan allegedly carried out mining activity without securing the required permissions.
The raid, which went on for over three hours, failed to yield any results as the SIT did not find any documents at her residence which could establish a link with the Curpem mining lease.
Figueiredo has denied knowledge of illegal mining activities carried out by Khan on her lease. During questioning, she continued to insist that Khan secured her signature on some documents in 2007 and that she did not know whether these were papers for Power of Attorney.
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, Figueiredo, one of the heirs, transferred the lease to Khan. 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.
The Special Investigation Team of Goa police probing the Rs 35,000-crore illegal mining scam on Wednesday carried out a search at the residence of Maria Figueiredo at Loutolim, who is the lease holder for the mine in Curpem in Sanguem taluka where accused Imran Khan allegedly carried out mining activity without securing the required permissions.
The raid, which went on for over three hours, failed to yield any results as the SIT did not find any documents at her residence which could establish a link with the Curpem mining lease.
Figueiredo has denied knowledge of illegal mining activities carried out by Khan on her lease. During questioning, she continued to insist that Khan secured her signature on some documents in 2007 and that she did not know whether these were papers for Power of Attorney.
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, Figueiredo, one of the heirs, transferred the lease to Khan. 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.
