PANAJI : Special Investigation Team (SIT) alongwith officials from the mining department visited Paikul-Valpoi mining site and also a dumpsite at Sacordem on Friday.
Sources informed that due to rain, inspection for verifying exact extraction of ore has been adjourned; however, dump handling activities have been confirmed by mines official.
The visit to the mining site and also a dumpsite was in view of the arrest of ore trader Kancha Gaunder. He was arrested on Thursday for his alleged involvement in illegal mining and theft of iron ore, SIT officials said. According to SIT officials, the accused allegedly excavated and transported iron ore from a mining lease at Paikul-Valpoi to a mining firm in connivance with influential politicians and other individuals.
Sources informed that those named by Gaunder including politicians will be summoned for questioning in the
case.
According to sources, after two site inspections, SIT independently located another dumpsite at Sacordem and it is revealed that from iron ore dump, belonging to a mining firm, lakhs of metric tons of iron ore was allegedly exported by different traders with the help of highly influential politicians. In this connection, the SIT will investigate further, sources informed.
Gaunder is a resident of Tisk-Usgao and a native of Salem, Tamil Nadu. A senior police officer informed that his arrest is linked to the main case pertaining to renewal of mining leases and other alleged illegalities in which SIT is examining around 183 mining leases. SIT sources informed that the bank details of the accused suggest online money transfer in crores of rupees through RTGS (real time gross settlement) in his account from mining related firms/individuals.