Digambar quizzed by CB in illegal mining scam

PANJIM: Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was questioned on Monday for nearly two and a half hours in connection with the multi-crore mining scam, one of the biggest and most voluminous of cases being investigated by Crime Branch’s (CB) Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Kamat appeared before the investigation sleuths soon after the District & Sessions Court granted him ex-parte interim anticipatory bail.

“He was quizzed and clarifications sought on various aspects in connection with the alleged illegalities and irregularities during his tenure as CM and Mines Minister,” a SIT official told Herald. He appeared before the team of sleuths headed by SP Priyanka Kashyap at around 11.30am. 

Kamat will be questioned again but the date has not been scheduled. Sources said he was asked a series of questions about mining-related files, decisions, interaction with mines officials, companies 

and others related to the mining industry. 

In an unexpected move, Kamat earlier in the day filed for anticipatory bail fearing arrest in the case. He was asked to appear before the SIT at around 11am, after he skipped the first summons for April 18. 

In his anticipatory bail application, Kamat raised apprehensions of his arrest citing that the SIT ‘resurrected’ the probe after around four years. “He had deposed in the case when the investigation began in 2014. All of a sudden after four year he was issued summons,” Advocate Parag Rao, who is assisting senior defense counsel Surendra Desai said. The petitioner also submitted that he was a statutory functionary as a mines minister and that his decisions were based on the notings received from the mines officers.

Principal Sessions Judge Irshad Agha, while granting the Congress MLA ‘ex-parte interim relief’, imposed certain conditions such as cooperating with the investigation and executing personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with one surety in the like amount. The next hearing is fixed on May 2. Till evening CB had not received any notice from the court seeking their say in the matter.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Kamat told Herald that his step to apply for anticipatory bail was based on his previous experience with the CB. “I have experienced in the past,” he said hinting at the repeated summons issued to him by CB during the Louis Berger case and the arrest of former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao during the wee hours in August 2015.