16 corruption cases filed in Goa since March 2012: Parrikar

Two former chief ministers have been booked in illegal mining case

Sixteen corruption cases were filed with the vigilance department in Goa in the last one-and-half year, including against two former chief ministers for their alleged involvement in illegal mining scam, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said.

The anti-corruption branch of Directorate of Vigilance has registered 16 cases from March 2012 till date, Parrikar said in a written reply on the floor of the state Legislative Assembly yesterday.

Two former chief ministers - Digambar Kamat and Pratapsingh Rane - along with then state revenue minister Somnath Zuvarkar, officials of mines department and forest department have been booked in illegal mining case.

As per the reply tabled, the other cases were filed against officers from police, forest, transport, public works department and state-run Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC).

The state government has filed a case against "unknown officials of GIDC for allotment of land in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to various companies during 2006-07 in arbitrary and illegal way."

A deputy superintendent of police has been booked for "misusing his position to grab the land," the reply mentioned.

In another major case, members of the scrutiny committee of the directorate of transport have been booked for rigging the selection process of Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors (AMVI).

Interestingly, the candidates selected as AMVI under the process are also booked along with the committee members.

One of the candidates has been separately booked for availing job of AMVI by submitting "bogus experience certificate of fake and fictitious firm.