Charged for exporting ore from Goa port on forged NOCs
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Special Investigating Team of Crime Branch, probing the massive illegal iron ore mining scam, made its first arrest by apprehending Gujarat-based trader on charges of exporting 1.35 lakh metric tons ore from Goa port to China on forged NOCs in 2010-11. He was brought to Goa on transit remand on Friday afternoon.
SIT officers arrested Assistant Manager (Operations) of Frost International Limited Subroto Barok from a hotel room in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Wednesday where he was hiding since the registration of the case here.
As per the complaint, 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. A senior officer said that during the entire transaction, the accused acted as a representative of the private company. He had also held the position as power of attorney to deal with port, customs department and other government departments to execute all documents in connection with the business of the company.
“In this transaction 64,707 WMT belonging to Rotomac Exports Pvt Ltd and 70,293 belonging to M/s Frost International Ltd was exported on a fake NOC of the Directorate of Mines Department. Barok had also acted as representative for Rotomac pertaining to the export on ship M V Cape Cosmos,” the SIT’s complaint copy reads.
The SIT had collected original documents including trading licences from 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 further disclosed that the ore exported by the company was illegal and without proper documentations.
“…all the ore exported by the company during the period 2010-11 is without registering as a trader with the Mines department…This entire transactions and export…is fraud involving manufacture of fabrication of fake documents in connivance with the Mines officials,” the SIT observed.
The SIT has now requested the Mines department to analyse the total loss to the State exchequer through the illegal export. The case has also brought under the scanner their mines and the private company’s officials with the SIT not ruling out more arrests.
SIT is investigating 10 mining-related cases and questioned nearly a dozen persons including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, suspended Mines Director Arvind Lolienkar and other government officers and private players.
