PANJIM: Even as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Goa police began a probe in one of the biggest of the total mining-related scams last month, summons to directors of eight mining firms on Saturday comes incidentally after the Opposition alleged that BJP was shielding the top mine owners.
The Directors of Sociede De Fomento Industries Pvt Ltd – Margao, Damodar Mangalji & Co. Ltd – Panjim, G N Agarwal Mining Pvt Ltd- Margao, H I Nathurmal – Panjim, Bandekar Brothers Pvt Ltd (RNSB Group) – Vasco Da Gama, Chowgule and Company Ltd – Mormugao and Managing Director of Timble Private Limited – Curchorem are summoned for questioning on the dates specified in the ‘letter’ from May 30 to June 8.
On Friday, Congress Secretary Girish Chodankar had alleged at a press conference that the BJP was shielding top mine owners accused of being part of the Rs 35,000-crore mining loot as he also questioned as to why was the government dragging its feet over the investigation on the cases registered way back in 2012. In a subsequent press briefing, BJP President Vinay Tendulkar denied the allegations pointing at the delay in fodder scam probe against Bihar’s Laloo Prasad Yadav.
Former chief minister Digambar Kamat, whose name indirectly figures in all the FIRs owing to the positions he held during the alleged scam period, is also being probed in the case. He was summoned twice last month but appeared just once, and thereafter filed for anticipatory bail, which is currently pending with the Principal Sessions Judge.
The SIT officials were not available for comments on-record but a source at the police headquarters justified that mining firms were always on the cards. “We have to probe into allegations that they funded political parties besides the scams pointed by various government-appointed committees,” he told Herald.
