The State Government Vigilance department filed a first information report (FIR) naming two former Congress Chief Ministers, a senior NCP leader as well as former Government officials in an illegal mining case.
This FIR is in addition to an FIR lodged earlier on the basis of the Shah Commission report against ‘unknown’ persons.The current FIR has named former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane and Digambar Kamat, both of the Congress, a senior NCP leader and businessman Prafulla Hede, Forest and Mines Department officials.
The FIR states that these Chief Ministers and officials in their capacities allowed Hede to illegally mine at the Godoavadae Javaichem Upor and Nagonim Buroda concession in close proximity of the Bhagwaan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary. This is located 70 kms south east of Panaji.
The FIR has been filed under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act.
The complaint was initially filed by a Congress spokesperson Sudeep Tamhankar with the State Vigilance department way back in 2011, but has been acted upon when the BJP Government came to power.
“The said mine is situated in the wildlife area and the above said officials have instead of stopping the same are illegally helping Prafulla Hede, a Pawar aide, to run the illegal mine,” the complaint by Tamhankar states.
Asked to react to the complaint, Congress spokesperson Reginaldo lourenco said, “I am yet to see the complaint. We will respond to this tomorrow (Tuesday).”
Incidentally, the complainant also seeks that the investigators question current Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar as the mine was also operating during his earlier tenure as Chief Minister between 2000-01. Incidentally during that period Kamat was the Mines Minister in Parrikar’s Cabinet. Kamat subsequently joined the Congress and became Chief Minister in 2007.
The State Government had earlier filed an FIR with the Goa Police Crime Branch and appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the illegalities pointed out by the Shah Commission.
The Supreme Court is already hearing a case related to the illegal mining scandal, which was valued by the Government constituted Justice MB Shah Commission to be to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore.
The court had imposed a ban on all mining activity on the heels of two similar bans by the State and the Central Government. The mine is one of the dozen odd concessions which will is likely to be scrapped because of its proximity to the wildlife sanctuary.