Goa's former director of mines grilled in illegal mining scam

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) interrogated former director of mines J B Bhingui in connection with the alleged multi-crore illegal mining scam.
A senior police official said that he was interrogated for more than five hours by the SIT.
Bhingui, a Goa service cadre officer, is named in the complaint filed by the Goa state government in the illegal mining scam which is estimated to be worth Rs 35,000 crore.
The SIT also interrogated another mining official Sham Sawant, at Dona Paula police station.
Two politicians, including former Goa chief ministers Digambar Kamat and Pratapsingh Rane, beides several other government officials are being probed. Kamat has been called for interrogation on February 8.

The union government constituted Justice M B Shah Commission had confirmed illegal mining in Goa since 2005.

The Supreme Court which is hearing the illegal mining case has stalled the fresh extraction and export of ore.
Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters here today, that he had asked the police to conduct a fair inquiry into the illegal mining scam.
He said that the guilty should be punished.
"I am not interfering in investigations. I have told them that the guilty should be punished and if they require custodial interrogation, they will get custody of the accused," he said.