Tamil native arrested in illegal mining case

the goan I networkr​​PANAJIrrGaunder was booked in 2013 by the Crime Branch under various sections of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, Mine & Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988 and the Goa (Prevention of illegal mining transportation and storage of minerals) Rules, 2004. rWhile the police team sought custody of the accused for ten days for interrogation to ascertain the exact amount of theft of iron ore, he has been remanded to seven days police custody rby the Special Court, Panaji on Thursday. rPreliminary investigation before arrest revealed that the accused also allegedly excavated and transported a lakh metric ton of iron ore from Paicul, Valpoi allegedly in connivance with an influential politician and other individuals. rCustodial interrogation was sought to unearth the deep-rooted criminal conspiracy of theft of iron ore and with the aim to facilitate disclosure and recovery of invoices, account books, correspondence with respect to ‘Kartik Mineral’ to ascertain the exact turnover of the trade by the accused. rSources from the police department disclosed that the accused is suspected to have illegally extracted and transported lakhs of metric tons of iron ore by causing environmental damage and derived pecuniary advantage. rBank details of accused suggests crores of RTGS in his account from mining related firms or individuals, it was learnt. r“Although, Gaunder was registered as trader with mining department of Goa, he allegedly did not file returns for the trade of iron ore in crores of rupees thereby evading dues to the state government by causing wrongful loss to the state exchequer and wrongful gain to the accused and others,” sources informed.