After Churchill, Joaquim quizzed by Crime Branch (SIT)
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 26 August 2015 18:54 IST
After Churchill Alemao, now it’s turn of his younger brother Joaquim Alemao, but for an alleged illegality in mining operation.
Former urban development minister Joaquim Alemao, belonging to the erstwhile Congress government, was today summoned by the Special Investigation Team of Goa police (crime branch).
He is facing an inquiry into the case of illegal mining, along with Goa’s leading mine owner and former Sanguem MLA Anil Salgaoncar.
Joaquim flatly denies his involvement in any kind of illegal mining.
“I was never involved in any kind of mining. I supply earthmoving machinery to the mining companies”, he told media persons outside the SIT office at Dona Paula.
According to him, the Alemao family is being harassed by the existing BJP government.
His elder brother Churchill is presently serving a judicial custody in the Louis Berger bribery case, for over 20 days.
In 2014, the SIT had registered a criminal offence against Alemao and others under various relevant sections of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
The complaint is filed against S Kantilal Pvt Ltd, a mining lease holder.
In Goa, many mining lease holders had contracted out extraction operations to others.
The complaint here deals with a joint operation of illegal extraction jointly by Joaquim and Anil Salgaoncar.
As Anil Salgaoncar did not appear before the SIT stating that he is not well, the SIT had summoned his sons – Sameer and Arjun.
Both of them also did not respond to the summons.
“Those who did illegal mining are sleeping. Only God knows that I am not involved in anything. I don't want to say anything else. I believe in God and truth will prevail”, said Joaquim.
The SIT has suddenly been activated at the initiative of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
The BJP had assured Goans to put behind the bars all the people involved in illegal mining, if voted to power in 2012 election.
The voters had pushed down ruling Congress to mere nine MLAs in the 40-member House while defeating the whole Alemao family.
Besides Churchill (Navelim) and Joaquim (Cuncolim), Churchill’s daughter Valanka was defeated in Benaulim and Joaquim’s son Yuri in Sanguem.
The case filed by the SIT also belongs to Sanguem constituency.
(With PTI inputs)
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