TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Suspended Mines Director Arvind Lolienkar, who has been jailed in the multi-crore illegal mining scam has alleged that Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch is not making any efforts to trace the missing records about the extraction and export of ore.
The submission made through his lawyer before the High Court Bench during his bail hearing, also questions why other officers related with the case are not being probed.
Lolienkar is accused of granting trade license to Frost International Ltd, despite knowing they were exporting without trading license.
Lolienkar’s lawyer told the court that the company did not have to pay the royalty but it was issued a show cause notice for failing to pay export duty. He informed that as per the law, the company was asked to pay around Rs 1 crore as recovery for the loss it caused to the State exchequer.
The defense further argued that when the Supreme Court in its recent interim order termed mining extraction in Goa from 2007 till September 2012 as illegal, then involvement of many others should be probed. The arguments will continue on Thursday.
Lolienkar was suspended on April 2, 2012 for his alleged involvement in the Rs 35,000-crore illegal mining scam and arrested on March 28, 2014 after cross-questioning.
Two other accused Subrata Barik and suspended draftsman of Mines Department Robert Gonsalves have also applied for bail before the High Court, which will be heard in the coming week.
Meanwhile, SIT sleuths are camping in Mumbai to trace evidence and record statements of witnesses in the Kadnekar mining lease case which has involvement of Magnum Pvt Ltd in the scam.
