PANJIM: In a major turn of events into the ongoing probe in the mega mining scam, Goa’s former Principal Mines Secretary Rajiv Yaduvanshi turned approver on Friday.
The development could hasten investigations into the case and lead to more persons coming under the SIT radar, as the bureaucrat has named politicians for pressurising him to take certain decisions.
Sources told Herald that Yaduvanshi, who appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for questioning for the sixth time on Friday, deposed before the magistrate later in the evening. An officer said, “He is now an approver in the case,”.
SIT SP Kartik Kashyap confirmed the development to Herald saying, “Yaduvanshi’s statement was recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before the magistrate.”
It is reliably learnt that 1989-batch IAS officer has allegedly named politicians for having pressurised him to take decisions that were not in the interest of the State. “He said he was pressurised to take decisions despite knowing it would cause a huge loss to the State exchequer. The actions were unethical but he bogged down to political pressure,” said a source.
The deposition came on the eve of the hearing into former chief minister Digambar Kamat’s anticipatory bail application wherein the SIT is expected to submit arguments opposing his plea. The application pertains to the 187-odd mining leases wherein a few politicians, bureaucrats and several ore traders are being probed.
Yaduvanshi, who currently is the Principal Health Secretary in the Delhi government, was being quizzed in 40 cases of illegal condonation and other illegitimate mining that occurred during his tenure between 2006 and 2011.
The investigation sleuths also questioned assistant geologist Shobana Rivonkar on Thursday while politician Prafulla Hede will be quizzed on Saturday. The lady officer is expected to be summoned again next week. Sources also said that some more persons could become approvers in the coming days.
Kamat, who has had the longest stint of 12 years as Mines minister is being probed in nearly all the mining cases registered by SIT. After going through a couple of questioning session in the past for different cases, the SIT has summoned him again at 10am on Tuesday.
