PANJIM: The hearing on the anticipatory bail application filed by various mining scam accused, including former chief minister Digamabar Kamat, was on Friday postponed to May 29 by North Goa Sessions Court.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch, opposing Kamat’s anticipatory bail plea, asked for his custodial interrogation.
The Sessions Court on April 24 had granted interim relief to Kamat in a bail application. Subsequently, interim relief was also granted to former Mines and Geology Director Arvind Lolienkar. SIT has sought time to file reply in Lolienkar’s plea and of one other.
Kamat was first questioned in the case by the SIT in February 2014 and later in April 2017.
According to the Justice (Retd) M B Shah Commission report, illegal mining to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore took place in Goa from 2005 to 2012.
A complaint was filed by the Mines and Geology Department in July 2013 seeking to fix criminal liability on those involved in the illegal mining. Crime Branch registered an FIR in August 2013 against those named in various reports, including Kamat, former Mines Director Lolienkar and other officials of the department, mining firms and others.
The SIT was formed by the then BJP government to probe the case.
The Court postponed the hearing following a request of the defence counsel that the reply filed by SIT is voluminous.
SIT submitted that Kamat as mines minister illegally increased ore production above limits as per the then mining plan.
It also said Kamat was aware about the mining illegalities and was the single authority to pass the files. SIT stated that Kamat’s custodial interrogation is required to ascertain illegal gratification allegedly received by him and verify and recover illegal wealth accumulated by him.
