TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch is expected to file its first chargesheet in the illegal iron ore mining cases against suspended Mines Director Arvind Lolienkar, a few government officials and directors of trading company Frost International Ltd for mining export fraud by Saturday.
According to reliable sources, the chargesheet will contain several hundred pages including fake no objection certificates and other relevant documents, which will be submitted to the CBI Court.
Lolienkar is among the 10-odd persons arrested in connection with the fraud, and he still remains behind bars after the High Court of Bombay at Goa rejected his bail earlier this month. Some others have been bailed out. Gujarat-based trader Assistant Manager (Operations) of Frost International Limited Subroto Barok is also a crucial catch for the SIT as he had allegedly forged the papers to obtain trading license from the former director to export the consignment. He was arrested from his home town in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, around two months ago.
As per the investigation so far, Barok forged official documents in connivance with the officials of Goa Mines and Geology Department to export the huge amount of ore through M V Cape Cosmos ship from March 25, 2010 to January 19, 2011.
The SIT has already collected original documents including trading licences from the Mines Department and Captain of Ports, which during the investigation revealed the accused had forged government documents to export the ore. Data obtained from the Commissionerate of Central Excise and Customs that further disclosed that the ore exported by the company was illegal and without proper documentations is also a part of the chargesheet.
SIT is presently investigating 12 mining-related cases and has questioned more than a dozen persons including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, other government officers and private players.
