NT NETWORK
PANAJI
State Lokayukta Justice (retired) P K Misra has initiated a preliminary enquiry in connection with a private complaint filed by a non-government organisation against ‘illegal’ renewals of 88 iron ore mining leases.
The anti-corruption ombudsman has asked the petitioner to appear before him on April 4 to explain the case.
The NGO had filed a complaint last week before the Goa Lokayukta against former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar; former mines secretary Pawan Kumar Sain and director of mines and geology department Prasanna Acharya.
The complainant accused them of entering into conspiracy to renew 88 mining leases to several private stakeholders (leaseholders).
The complaint pertains to illegal second renewals of 88 iron ore mining leases, in which the petitioner has claimed an estimated loss of Rs 1,44,000 crore to
the state exchequer. The NGO has pointed out that a large numbers of leases had been effected on January 6 and January 12, 2015, just before the MMDR Act (amendment) ordinance was to be promulgated by the central government. It also said the leases were renewed despite the ongoing investigation by the special investigating team and the team of chartered accountants.
The NGO has said that all the three accused be charged under Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for renewing these 88 leases for mining in the state with a total annual production capacity of 44 million tonne and consequences therefrom.