NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Former chief minister Digambar Kamat, one of the accused in the alleged multi-crore illegal mining scam, has claimed that he did not receive any illegal gratification as alleged and is not responsible for any alleged loss nor has he caused any wrongful loss to the state exchequer.
Kamat on Monday filed a rejoinder before the Special Court in connection with his anticipatory bail plea. The matter is scheduled for June 9 for arguments.
In his rejoinder, Kamat has said, “I am not responsible for any alleged wrongful loss nor have I caused wrongful loss to the state exchequer. I have also not wrongfully gained the said amount or any part of it.”
According to Kamat, whatever decisions he took as Minister of Mines were in exercise of his quasi judicial power under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Rules and Regulations made there under.
“The orders made by me in exercise of my quasi judicial power and authority have to be presumed to be validly made unless set aside by a superior court or authority. The orders in question have attained finality and they cannot be assailed on merits by the respondent (SIT), that too before this honourable court,” Kamat has said.
“As far as the mining lease of Antonio D’Souza and the mining title concession of V M Kadnekar are concerned, I shall rely upon the relevant files in possession of the respondent (SIT) for its true meaning and interpretation. I say that my action was honest and bona fide in both the cases and I have not committed any wrong as falsely alleged. I specifically deny that I committed any deliberate and intentional act to favour D’Souza or Kadnekar,” Kamat said.
According to Kamat, the entire endeavour of the police is to embarrass and prejudice him and his family and his political career by having him arrested. Kamat has said that police, in its say, has admitted that all the relevant files have been received and are in their possession. “This clearly obviates the need for my custodial interrogation and establishes that it is being demanded unjustly and towards political victimization,” Kamat said.
Kamat also claimed that “although I am a politician, I am not politically an influential person because the Congress is not in power in Goa or at the Centre. The question of threatening the witnesses or tampering with evidence, as alleged, therefore, does not arise.”
Kamat feels that the statement of J B Bhinge, the then director of Mines, under Section 164 CrPC has been doctored by police and “I have reasons to believe that the said statement is involuntary,” Kamat said.
It may be recalled that SIT has sought custodial interrogation of Kamat to verify the role played by him during the approval of each title concession and in granting condonation of delay and in various other illegalities, which had taken place in the relevant period during his tenure as the mines minister.