Land-grab and fraud cases are making headlines once again in Goa. On Wednesday, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) unearthed an illegal land-grabbing racket worth over Rs 1,200 crore. What makes this case shocking is the fact that the accused illegally mutated more than 3.5 lakh sq mts of prime Comunidade lands in Anjuna, Assagao, and other parts of Goa. On Tuesday, coastal Anjuna and Assagao were in the news as ED swooped down on several individuals simultaneously at multiple locations, including the residence of an Anjuna panchayat member and the residence and office of a businessman over land-fraud charges.
The reality that land worth crores has been wrongfully acquired, sold, and concealed through falsified genealogies and altered records points to a systemic issue rooted in collaboration with “insiders”. Prima facie, the loopholes in the mutation and ownership processes stand exposed. The recent raids have, to a large extent, exposed Goa’s dark underbelly, but in the process, the systemic flaws have also been exposed. These raids not only highlight the extent of corruption but also raise crucial concerns regarding the effectiveness of law enforcement and the pressing need to fast-track justice delivery.
The ED’s earlier crackdown was on financial fraud involving counterfeit gold items, loan scams totalling Rs 2.63 crore, and extensive money laundering connected to gambling and casino activities. The agency also detected fake gold ornaments, where white metal was coated to mimic gold. The complex trail of loans secured through the pledging of fake gold, with funds diverted to various organisations, shows how well-knit the network is. The apprehension of a legislator tied to casino-related betting operations, alongside the seizure of cash, foreign currency, and properties, further exposes how deeply these unlawful activities are interwoven into Goa’s socio-economic framework.
What becomes evident from these operations is a trend of audacious fraud, frequently shielded by a network of local land mafias, political collusion, and corrupt officials. The “insider” holds the key to such dubious deals, as past cases have shown. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant last month stated that six government officials had been arrested in land fraud cases, including Mamlatdars, Sub-Registrars, and personnel from the Department of Archaeology. The SIT registered 30 cases and arrested a total of 75 individuals, including 12 repeat offenders, as of August 2025. If we may recall, in 2023, the SIT arrested a retired Canacona sub-registrar for his alleged role in a multi-crore land fraud.
On the flip side, numerous accused land grabbers and fraudsters have enjoyed a sense of immunity for years, with cases dragging on, thereby allowing them relief. This chronic delay undermines public faith in the justice system vis-à-vis land grab cases, fosters a sense of powerlessness among genuine landowners, and fails to set deterrents. The scale of land-related issues that are unresolved accentuates the urgent need for judicial reforms. Establishing fast-track courts dedicated specifically to land disputes, financial crimes, and property fraud could give meaning to this crackdown. Only through the swift resolution of these cases can public confidence be reinstated and the cycle of land-grabbing disrupted.
Lastly, the government must prioritise the digitisation of land records, introduce stringent verification procedures, and enhance transparency in property transactions. The systemic gaps that enable fraudsters to manipulate land records—such as absentee owners, accommodating notaries, and compromised revenue offices—must be closed through modern technology and vigilant monitoring. The current developments serve as a crucial reminder that merely unearthing fraud and arresting individuals are not enough. These make good headlines. The unlawful activities will persist and erode our socio-economic structure if we don’t introspect and fill the gaps.
