TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Special Investigation Team investigating the mining scam grilled former Mines and Geology Director J B Bhingui and Technical Assistant Shyam Sawant for over four hours at Crime Branch office in Dona Paula Tuesday.
The SIT has issued summons to six persons including former chief minister Digambar Kamat and suspended Mines Director Arvind Lolienkar after a complaint was filed by the government based on the Justice M B Shah Commission report on illegal mining, the PAC report and the Supreme Court appointed CEC reports. The case was filed by Mines Director Prasanna Acharya and later transferred from The crime Branch to SIT.
Acharya had also submitted reports of the Supreme Court appointed CEC, Justice MB Shah Inquiry Commission and Goa Legislative Assembly’s PAC, along with a complaint filed against several high-profile persons before CB (before the cases was being transferred to SIT) in July 2013.
Sources said both Bhingui and Sawant will be questioned again on Wednesday morning as they have been asked to produce certain documents pertaining to the case.
The team comprising Deputy Superintendent of Police Nilu Raut Desai, Police Inspectors Uday Naik and Narayan Chimulkar and Police Sub- Inspector S Padwalkar questioned Bhingui and Sawant from 3 pm till past 7 pm, in separate chambers. The duo had arrived at CB office with stacks of files to submit to the investigation team.
Meanwhile, under secretary (Legal) Smita Chandwani is to be quizzed in her office at Secretariat on Wednesday afternoon. Digambar Kamat, who was Mines Minister for 12 years; Lolienkar and former law secretary V P Shetye have been called for questioning on Saturday.
“SIT has issued summons in the first illegal mining case, while eight other cases are still to be investigated. If a person who is questioned in one case is found to be involved in other mining cases, they will be called for questioning again,” an officer told Herald.
Summons to others for appearance on February 6-7 are however not issued as interrogation of Bhingui, Sawant and Chandwani may be extended.
“We cannot issue summons hastily because the interrogation of those who have already been asked to appear before the SIT may continue the next day as well,” sources said.
The Goa government had constituted SIT on September 9, 2013 to inquire into all mining cases including the multi-crore scam exposed in the Justice Shah Commission report.
