Political links in Goa land grab cases under SIT scanner, says IGP

Asked if any politicians were involved in cases of land grab, he said, “Right now we have a confession statement of an accused. We are examining that part. Yes, they have named some politicians but before we arrest them, I will not name them.”

He said that most of the 95 cases that are under the SIT’s scanner were in areas of Anjuna, Assagao, Badem, Calangute, Mapusa, Nerul, Parra and Reis Magos in North Goa and some from Vasco and Margao in South Goa. “The cases are mostly from coastal areas where the value of land is higher,” Bishnoi said.

For the first time, the Goa government constituted a SIT on June 15 to probe cases of illegal land grab. The SIT is led by the Nidhin Valsan, Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, and also includes members from state’s archeology and revenue department and the state registrar. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had earlier said that he would personally monitor the cases being probed by the SIT.

According to the police, accused Royson Rodrigues, a resident of Siolim, was allegedly involved in the illegal transfer of 60 properties in Anjuna, Badem-Assagao and Parra in North Goa of which complaints had been received in case of 12. Maithi allegedly forged land records with the state’s Archives department and fraudulently transferred eight properties to his name. The police claimed that he fled to Dubai but was arrested by the Goa Police at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International in Mumbai Airport on Thursday.

The modus operandi in cases of land grab, the police said, has been similar. Maithi is accused of transferring a property in Assagao to his name. In cases against Maithi, Rodrigues and Fernandes, the complainants were residents of Mumbai who owned land in Goa that, they alleged, was fraudulently transferred to their name by the accused for selling it to third parties.

While the three latest accused in the case have been remanded to five days in police custody, some others have been released on bail.

Police officials, however, said that many of the cases are linked to one another and if those who have got bail in one case are found involved in other cases, they will be re-arrested.