Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Mines Director Arvind Lolienkar, facing multiple charges in the multi-crore mining scam, may be on his way out of service as the government has given the officer an ultimatum to quit or be dismissed.
Lolienkar, was arrested in May 2014 for his involvement in the scam, and was recently posted as Director of Printing and Stationery. He had earlier been suspended for his alleged involvement in the scam.
Sources in the government told Herald that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has gathered enough evidence against the officer. “He has been asked to resign or wait to be dismissed as the SIT has enough clinching evidence against him,” sources said.
SIT has arrested five persons, including Lolienkar, in connection with the Frost International Ltd case. Frost International had exported 1,35,000 metric tonnes of ore to China allegedly using forged documents resulting in loss of revenue to the State exchequer to the tune of Rs 1.17 crore.
Police said that the Captain of Ports (CoP) had informed the Mines Director that the no objection certificate (NOC), produced by Frost International before CoP, to export iron ore was fake. Police said Lolienkar had issued a show cause notice to Frost International Ltd but didn’t take any concrete action in the case.
Police said Frost International exported iron ore without a trade licence and that Lolienkar knew this, yet he later issued a trading licence to the firm.
SIT sleuths had arrested Frost International’s operation manager Subroto Barik for allegedly exporting iron ore with forged documents. Later, on March 26, Mines Department draughtsman Robert Gonsalves, who has been suspended from the Directorate, was arrested by SIT in same case.
In April, 2012, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had suspended Lolienkar as Mines Director for abetting illegal mining in the State. Earlier, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report had accused the Mines Department of not taking proper action against illegal mining. Parrikar was chairman of the PAC at that time.
The case is being investigated by PI Narayan Chimulkar and Rahul Parab under the guidance of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) KK Vyas.
