Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, one of the accused in the Kadnekar illegal mining scam case, appeared before the court on Tuesday, as trial in the case commenced. The Court has asked all the accused to deposit a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch had filed charges in the case after probing illegal condonation of delay in filing an application for renewal of a mining lease.
SIT has charged 16 persons in the case with theft of iron ore, criminal conspiracy and wrongful loss to the State exchequer to the tune of Rs 135 crore.
According to the charge sheet, Kamat the then Chief Minister of Goa holding the Mines portfolio, had condoned the delay by overruling observations of two IAS officers not to condone delay as the State government had no powers to condone the delay as per law.
It is stated that taking advantage of the condonation, the Kadnekar family of Margao entered into an agreement with Magnum Minerals transferring the rights of the lease without approval of the State and Central government and allowed them to mine iron ore.
