The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Goa Government to file a First Information Report (FIR) in the illegal mining scam, reported by the Justice MB Shah Commission to the tune of Rs35,000 crore.
The order passed by the court on Tuesday, directs the Government to file the FIR against more than 150 persons including, politicians, mining company owners, bureaucrats and the like.
Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Mohit Shah’s orders come on the basis of a petition by an electricity department employee Kashinath Shetye, who said that the Rs35,000-crore scam exposed by the judicial commission in its report, needed to be probed by the police.
Shetye had first filed a complaint before the Crime Branch of the Goa Police, which, however, did not act on it forcing him to approach the court directing an FIR be registered.
The order comes in the face of the Government’s cold feet in filing an FIR with the Chief Minister giving excuses as that of lack of staff, a chaotic scene within the mines department as well his open leanings with the mining lobby.
The Chief Justice’s order asked the State Government to “file FIR in respect of offences alleged to have been committed by the persons responsible for illegal mining in the State of Goa, including the lessees of the mines and all those who permitted such illegal mining of iron ore and manganese ore, in contravention of the relevant statutory provisions”.
The order says the FIR has to be filed in a period of six weeks.
Shetye had first filed a complaint with the Crime Branch, which had not filed the FIR, forcing the petitioner to complain before the High Court.
The MB Shah Commission of Inquiry in its interim report tabled before Parliament, had blown the lid off a Rs35,000 crore illegal mining scam with Shah blaming as well as taking the names of some politicians, bureaucrats, and indicting mining companies.
A petition is currently being heard by the Supreme Court, on a petition filed by Environmentalist NGO Goa Foundation and represented by noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan.