High court directs Govt to file FIR against ex-ministers & mine owners
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 26 March 2013 12:09 IST
Chief Justice of Bombay high court has directed the Goa government and police to file FIR against 151 persons including former ministers, mine owners and state and central government officials for their involvement and abetment to illegal mining.
Chief Justice of Bombay high court Justice Mohit Shah disposed of the petition filed by Kashinath Shetye in this regard.
The police have been told to file the FIR within six weeks.
Shetye had approached the high court as his complaint filed on 15 September last year before the police as well as the local CBI office had not been entertained.
Justice Shah has directed “to file FIR in respect of the offences alleged to have been committed by the persons responsible for illegal mining in the state of Goa, including the lessees of mines and all those who permitted such illegal mining of iron ore and manganese ore, in contravention of the relevant statutory provisions.”
While referring the complaint to their superiors, the Crime Branch as well as Panaji police had stated that this requires extensive investigation as it has to cover 151 accused persons.
These accused, stated the police letter, include peoples’ representatives, state and central government officials, officials of statutory bodies and firms involved in mining and allied activities.
