PANJIM: While the State is setting up mechanism to prosecute those accused in the mega mining scam, anti-mining activists are not quite happy on the manner in which the government has handled the matter.
The transfer of SP Karthik Kashyap, who headed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing mining and was fully abreast with the case, could further delay the cases. Director General of Police Muktesh Chander when contacted denied allegations of a delayed probe stating that officers are designated to investigate each case, and it is presently being monitored by DIG (Range) following transfer of Kashyap.
A glimmer of hope of the cases being expedited has come with the government constituting the Additional Sessions and District Judge at Margao as a special court under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act to hear cases related to illegal mining. District Judge-I and Additional Sessions Judge Edgar Fernandes has been appointed to hear the cases.
But activists are not happy with this as the delay has been too long. “The mining companies fund both BJP and the Congress so no action will be taken against them. It (arrests and questioning of mine traders and politicians) is just political propaganda. Every step is eyewash. If the government is so keen on taking action against them then why are they favouring mining lease holders? The leases had expired but government still wants the same lease holders, why?” activist Ravindra Velip, who has led several agitations against illegal mining, said. He even questioned the delay in appointing the Special Court to hear the cases.
Environmentalist and mining opponent Ramesh Gawas endorses Velip’s views on the delay in holding mining lobby responsible for the loot of State’s exchequer and damage to Goa’s ecology. “It’s been such a long time since the Justice M B Shah Commission’s report had exposed the scam and there have been two Supreme Court judgments, but despite all this we see no result. Whether government’s action is faithful or not is questionable. Every step of forming SIT and appointing a judge is a drama,” he alleged.
Over a year after the BJP-led coalition formed the government in March 2012, cases began to be filed in July 2013 with Crime Branch to fix criminal liability on persons/companies involved in the scam. In August 2013, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to exclusively investigate cases of illegal mining. Since then more than a dozen arrests and interrogation of high profile persons including politicians have been recorded during this period with the very recent move by the government to appoint a Special Judge for a speedy trial.
The alleged crime related to illegal mining began haunting politicians, including ex-CM Digambar Kamat, his team of Mines Department officials and others when cases were filed based on the Justice Shah Commission report pointing at scam from 2006-2011. The investigations then went up to naming a few of the current MLAs including Vishwajit Rane, his father and congress leader Pratapsingh Rane and others. NCP’s Prafulla Hede and nearly 100-odd including traders were also questioned by the SIT.
Out of 16 cases, SIT has filed charge sheets in eight cases while three cases were closed and three others were reverted to the respective police stations in view of its classification under ‘minor offense’ category. One closure report was in the case against the Ranes on account of lack of evidence and another against Bagadiya Brothers Pvt Ltd on alleged forging of NOC to export iron ore. SIT in its probe found the NOC was genuine that was issued by Mines Department and royalty deposited was correct.
Two mining cases which were charge sheeted against Kamat in January and February 2018 are amongst others awaiting framing of charge. Of the two which are left to be charge sheeted, one is the main case comprising of 187-odd leases while the FIR in the other case is quashed.
