Panaji (Goa): The Special Investigation Team of Crime Branch has yet again attempted to tighten the noose around Goa’s former chief minister Digambar Kamat in the ongoing investigation into multi-crore illegal mining cases. 

He has been issued summons to appear for questioning on November 21 in the case where ex-Goa coordinator of the Nationalist Congress Party Prafulla Hede is one of the prime accused.  

Assistant Geologist Shobana Rivonkar, who is also named in the First Information Report registered way back in the year 2012 and Hede are also summoned for questioning on Thursday and Saturday respectively. 

Kamat, who was the mines minister for 12 long years and CM from 2007-2012, has been quizzed in some other mining-related offences while his presence in the case is sought more. He had even moved the local court seeking anticipatory bail in another case, which was granted. 

The fresh summons incidentally comes ahead of the five-day long assembly session scheduled for December 13. Goa Governor Mridula Sinha gave her assent to the proposal by State government for holding the session from December 13-17, on Monday. Earlier too, Kamat has been summoned either before or during the assembly sessions in illegal mining cases and another Louis Berger international bribery scandal.

As per details in the present case, FIR was registered on September 19, 2014 based on a complaint by mines Director Prasanna Acharya alleging that between 1988 and 2007, mining operations were carried out in TC (title of concession) no 30/1950 through the illegal condonation of delay given by a public servant/government official at that period, which was in violation of Section 19 of the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. 

In another case, Goa’s former Principal Mines Secretary Rajiv Yaduvanshi will undergo questioning for the third time in one week, today. 

Team TNV