Nearly one-and-a-half years after the Shah Commission blew the lid off a Rs 35,000 crore mining scam in Goa, and when civil society in the State had begun to despair at the lack of action, the Goa Police late on Monday issued summons to former Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and three other senior officials on connection with the probe.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji, Deputy Inspector General KK Vyas said that Kamat, who has been Mines Minister for 12 consecutive years during which the scam took place, as well as former director Mines and Geology, former law secretary VP Shetye and another official have been called for enquiry in Goa’s biggest scandal yet.
“Kamat has been called on February 8,” Vyas said. Under pressure from the Supreme Court, which is yet to lift its ban on mining the BJP - led coalition Government in Goa, which is being accused by the Opposition and civil society, of defending Goa’s powerful mining magnates, had filed a first information report against unknown persons in the mining case.
The case was later filed before the lokayukta, who later resigned. The Government filed an FIR “against those named in the Shah Commission report” after the Bombay High Court directed them to do so.