Panaji (Goa): The Congress party in Goa today firmly stood behind its former chief minister and current legislator Digambar Kamat over the recent police investigation against him for condoning delay in renewing the mining leases in the State.

Special Investigation Team of the Crime Branch has summoned Kamat for interrogation on Tuesday (November 21), while the former chief minister has already moved an application for anticipatory bail plea before District Court. The petition would be heard on Monday, tomorrow.

Goa Congress Chief Shantaram Naik told reporters today that the actions of Kamat, prima facie, seems to be using his quasi-judicial power to condon the delay in renewing the mining leases.

“As a quasi-judicial authority, the Chief minister has a power to condon the delay. I have heard for the first time that the condonation of delay is a crime,”Naik said.

“It a quasi judicial act but not a crime,” he commented adding that the case against Kamat is purely a political act.

Crime Branch’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) had filed a case in September 2014 against mine owner Prafulla Hede for condonation of delay in mining lease located at Collem in South Goa.
Justice M B Shah Commission, which had investigated the mining scam, had observed that several mining companies were allowed to fraudulently use the clause of condonation of delay for renewal of their leases.
Apart from Hede, offence was also registered against public servants and government officials. PTI RPS

The SIT had questioned several government officials, including former Goa principal mines secretary Rajiv Yaduvanshi, in connection with the case.