TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Accusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of selectively investigating mine owners in the money laundering case, and keeping aside the “big fry”, NGO Goa Foundation (GF) on Thursday, said that it would approach Justice M B Shah asking him to investigate the personal bank accounts of mine owners to ascertain the black money involved in illegal mining. Justice Shah is heading the Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing black money in the country. Before that, he had conducted the inquiry in to illegal mining in the country and the State.
At a press conference held on Thursday, GF director Claude Alvares said they would be soon writing to Justice Shah to investigate the black money involved in illegal mining in Goa. “As per our information, most of the big mining companies have foreign bank accounts with black money being slashed there,” he said.
Alvares said that as per the information sought under right to information (RTI), Govindraj Dempo, son-in-law of former CM Digambar Kamat has four accounts, Srinivas Dempo has four bank accounts in Swiss banks and Ambar Timblo has two. “Reserve Bank of India (RBI) says they have not granted any permission to these people to open foreign bank accounts,” he said.
Pointing to the notices issued to only 16 mining companies for under-invoicing, GF accused ED of selectively investigating the mine owners in money laundering case, leaving aside the “big fry”. “ED is very selective in filing the cases. Why only Radha Timblo? (the mine owner who is probed for money laundering). They should go after all the big fry,” he said adding that as per Justice Shah Commission report on illegal mining, almost all the mining companies are involved in under invoicing from 30 to 80 percent.
We will put before Justice Shah that the government authorities are not taking action against the biggest perpetrators of crime, he added.
ED has issued notices against 16 companies who are being investigated in connection with the money laundering case and has already quizzed Radha Timblo, directors of Chowgule companies and others.
GF has also written to Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG) requesting to undertake audit of iron ore production and export from 2007-2012. It has also written a fresh letter to State chief secretary demanding that Rs 118,661 crore be recovered from various mine owners for illegally exporting the ore from 2007-2012.
“The value of the minerals exported during 2007-2012 works out to Rs 65,058 crore. Simple interest up to March 31, 2014 works out to an additional Rs 53,603 crore. The total works out to Rs 1,18,661 crore which is around ten times the annual budget of the State of Goa,” Alvares stated.
GF would soon be approaching High Court with a plea that the money looted through illegal mining be recovered by State government.
