PANJIM: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) along with officials of the Directorate of Mines & Geology inspected the Vaghus Pale dump site where more than 60 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore, amounting to more than Rs 1000 crore were found to be handled, transported and exported by accused Philip Jacob and others in connivance with a reputed mine owner.
The survey comes, after the joint inspection team had made its first visit to the site in June 2017.
The Kerala-native was arrested earlier this year for his alleged involvement in illegal trade and theft of iron ore in Goa from 2007-2011. After serving nearly 15 days in police custody and nine days in judicial custody, the Special Court under the Prevention of Corruption Act released him on conditional bail.
SP Kartik Kashyap said that large stock in lakhs of metric tonnes of unaccounted iron ore were found stacked at the site and the survey will continue for another three days to probe into the exact handling and export of iron ore from the site from 2006 to 2012.
During the investigation, SIT had earlier found that Jacob’s firm ‘Amalagiri’ had a turnover of over Rs 500 crore and the bank statements of his firm indicated transactions in the form of RTGS in different banks in Goa amounting to more than Rs 300 crore received from different exporters.
