Goa mining lease: Lokayukta summons former CM Parsekar

Panaji: Former Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has been summoned to depose before the Lokayukta tomorrow in connection with the renewal of mining leases in the state.

Goa Foundation, an NGO, had filed a complaint with Lokayukta, Justice (retd) P K Misra, and had alleged that the renewal of these mining leases appeared to be the result of “corrupt acts”.

“Parsekar has been summoned by the Lokayukta to appear before it and depose in connection with the case filed against him,” a senior Lokayukta official told PTI today. The complainant urged the Lokayukta to probe the circumstances that led to the renewal of 88 mining leases in the state to various private firms, including a multinational company, between November 1, 2014 and January 12, 2015.

The 88 mining leases renewed during this period had an annual production capacity of 44 million tonnes, the NGO stated in its complaint. These mining leases were quashed by the Supreme Court on February 7 this year.

Apart from Parsekar, the Goa Foundation has named then state mining secretary Pawan Kumar Sain and current director of Goa mines and geology Prasanna Acharya in its complaint.

The Goa Foundation had alleged that these renewals were an abuse of power by those named in the complaint and were done to benefit these firms and private individuals. “As a result of these renewals, they benefited by operating the mining leases allocated for nearly three years from 2015 to 2018, till the Supreme Court set them aside,” the NGO stated.

The NGO has said that all the three persons be charged under section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Parsekar, when contacted, said that he would not be able to appear before the Lokayukta tomorrow as his daughter was getting married on Tuesday. He said that his lawyer would seek another date to appear before the Lokayukta.