LOKAYUKTA ORDER: IN BLACK & WHITE
*The then CM merely endorsed that since the matter was pending before Lokayukta there was no necessity of parallel investigation
*It is crystal clear that Parrikar avoided responsibility obviously because the respondent was a minister and an MLA
*Parrikar as Home Minister was well aware that Lokayukta with its ‘royal’ force of two constables and two head constables was not in a position to make any investigation
PRIYANKA KASHYAP TOO
The Lokayukta also ordered action against the then Superintendent of the ACB Priyanka Kashyap. “Prima facie there has dereliction in duty by the then SP... the office is directed to initiate a suo motu proceeding against the then SP for gross dereliction of duty so that appropriate recommendation can be made,” the order reads.
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PANAJI
Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar “avoided responsibility” by not registering FIR and conducting any investigation into the complaint of disproportionate assets filed against former minister Pandurang Madkaikar.
Adv Aires Rodrigues had filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Goa Police alleging that Madkaikar built a palatial bungalow in Old Goa costing an estimated Rs 200 crore and sought an FIR against him. Since the ACB didn’t register the case, Rodrigues approached the Lokayukta with the grievance.
“The file was sent to the then Chief Minister for the purpose of getting permission to register FIR and to investigate thereafter. However the note sheets indicate that the then Chief Minister has merely endorsed that since the matter was pending before the Lokayukta there was no necessity of parallel investigation,” the Lokayukta noted in his order.
“It is crystal clear that the then CM avoided the responsibility obviously because the present respondent was serving a minister and an MLA belonging to the ruling party,” Goa Lokayukta Justice P K Misra said in his order.
In a statement loaded with sarcasm, Justice P K Misra also noted that Parrikar as Home Minister would have very well been aware that “the Lokayukta with its ‘royal’ force of two constables and two head constables (two have since been repatriated to the police department by now) was not in a position to make any investigation relating to disproportionate assets.”
“It has to be presumed that the ACB including the then Chief Minister were aware that only two constables and two head constables had been appointed in the Institution of the Lokayukta as part of investigating staff (two have been repatriated in the meantime),” he said.
“In other words, the then Chief Minister of Goa expected that the Lokayukta was to undertake investigation relating to a disproportionate assets case with the assistance of two constables and two head constables and on that basis the then Chief Minister evaded and avoided the responsibility of registration of FIR and investigation into the alleged response,” he noted.
The Lokayukta has now ordered that the ACB register an FIR against Madkaikar and probe the case while stressing that he has “not expressed any opinion on merit as to whether in fact Madkaikar has assets beyond his known source of income.”
Madkaikar denied the allegations claiming that the building was constructed by Nikitasha Realtors which is a separate private company in the real estate business and he being the Managing Director of the company was only allowed to stay in the building.
