PANAJI: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged multi-crore mining scam has issued summons to directors of eight mining firms to appear before the investigating team.
According to the information, summons has been issued to the director of Sociede De Fomento Industries to appear on May 30, while the director of Damodar Mangalji and Company has been asked to appear on May 31.
Summons has also been issued to director of Talaulikar and Sons, director of Chowgule and Company, managing director of Timble, director of Bandekar brother (RNSB Group), director of H L Nathurmal and the director of G N Agarwal mining to appear in June.
According to the information, the summons have been issued in connection with the main case pertaining to renewal and other alleged illegalities in which the SIT is examining around 183 mining leases.
Sources said that apart from questioning government officials and politicians, it is necessary to question those who were operating the mining leases, as they are considered to be the major beneficiaries.
A few days back, the investigation in the multi-crore mining scam was handed over to police inspector Dattaguru Sawant, who earlier probed the high-profile Louis Berger bribery case in which charge sheet was filed against former chief minister Digambar Kamat, former PWD minister Churchill Alemao and others.
The SIT was formed by the government in 2013 to probe mining illegalities and it has so far filed charge sheets in six cases while investigation is on in five other cases, police said. Of the five cases, which are under investigation, the main case is pertaining to renewal and other alleged illegalities in which SIT is examining around 183 mining leases, police said. In the main case, SIT is examining the role of Kamat and others. In connection with the case, Kamat, then director of Mines and Geology Arvind Loliyenkar and then senior technical assistant A T D’souza have approached court seeking anticipatory bail. The matter will come up for hearing on May 29.
