PANAJI: Former Goa Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao was today questioned by Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch in connection with an illegal mining case.
Joaquim, whose elder brother and former state Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Churchill Alemao, has been arrested in Louis Berger bribery case, alleged the state government was harassing the Alemao family. "This is harassment. First it is for my brother (Churchill) and now for me. I am not involved in any illegal mining. I am not a mine owner or a trader. I have a firm, which supplies mining machinery to all the mine owners," Joaquim told reporters outside the SIT office at Dona Paula near here.
"God is with me. Truth will prevail. Those who did (involved in) 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," the former minister said.
Alemao was summoned today by SIT in connection with the case of illegal mining filed against a mining firm S Kantilal and Private Company Ltd. Mine owner Anil Salgaoncar and his both sons -- Arjun and Sameer -- were also summoned by the SIT today, who failed to appear before the Investigating Officer.
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.