Panaji: The special investigation team (SIT) probing illegal mining cases, on Tuesday filed a chargesheet before the sessions court at Panaji against former Congress MLA Jitendra Deshprabhu and four others in the alleged case of illegal mining at Korgao village in Pernem between 2007 and 2017.
The chargesheet was filed after investigation into the case for over five years.
SIT superintendent of police (SP) Karthik Kashyap told TOI they have arrested all the accused in the case. They were subsequently released on bail. Kashyap said the chargesheet, which runs into 2,400 pages, has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Mines and Minerals (development and regulation) Act 1957, and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The SIT has recorded statements of 156 witnesses in the case.
Kashyap said the other accused in the chargesheet are former director of mines Arvind Lolyekar, former senior assistant geologist Hector Fernandes, transporter Tousif Momin and extractor Gitish Naik.
In 2012, the directorate of mines and geology director Prasanna Acharya had complained to the crime branch that the illegal extraction of over two lakh tonnes of ore had caused the state exchequer a loss of Rs 50 crore.
Acharya, in his complaint, had said the file regarding illegal mining at Korgao was missing from the department and had suspected the hand of officials from the mines department in the matter.
Kashyap said that during the investigation, it came to light that iron ore was extracted at Korgao without any permission. When questioned, however, Deshprabhu said he was digging for a mango plantation.
SP Karthik Kashyap said it was found that iron ore was extracted at Korgao without any permission. When questioned, however, then Pernem MLA Jitendra Deshprabhu said he was digging for a mango plantation
The chargesheet was filed after investigation into the case for over five years.
SIT superintendent of police (SP) Karthik Kashyap told TOI they have arrested all the accused in the case. They were subsequently released on bail. Kashyap said the chargesheet, which runs into 2,400 pages, has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Mines and Minerals (development and regulation) Act 1957, and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The SIT has recorded statements of 156 witnesses in the case.
Kashyap said the other accused in the chargesheet are former director of mines Arvind Lolyekar, former senior assistant geologist Hector Fernandes, transporter Tousif Momin and extractor Gitish Naik.
In 2012, the directorate of mines and geology director Prasanna Acharya had complained to the crime branch that the illegal extraction of over two lakh tonnes of ore had caused the state exchequer a loss of Rs 50 crore.
Acharya, in his complaint, had said the file regarding illegal mining at Korgao was missing from the department and had suspected the hand of officials from the mines department in the matter.
Kashyap said that during the investigation, it came to light that iron ore was extracted at Korgao without any permission. When questioned, however, Deshprabhu said he was digging for a mango plantation.
SP Karthik Kashyap said it was found that iron ore was extracted at Korgao without any permission. When questioned, however, then Pernem MLA Jitendra Deshprabhu said he was digging for a mango plantation
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