PANAJI
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Goa has filed a Prosecution Complaint against 36 persons allegedly involved in illegal land grabbing before the Special Court (PMLA) in Mapusa.
The complaint has shed light on the modus operandi of the accused to illegally acquire properties, especially those whose owners don’t live in the State.
According to reports, the complaint revealed the accused created forged documents, using their own identities and those of their associates, to illegally acquire several properties. Moreover, they subsequently sold these properties, generating proceeds of crime.
“ED initiated an investigation on the basis of various FIRs registered at different police stations in Goa related to the crime. ED investigation revealed the accused persons were involved in creating forged and fabricated documents in their names as well as their associates, illegally acquired several properties and sold some of these to generate proceeds of crime,” the ED stated on Thursday. The Court has further taken cognisance of the complaint.
On November 23, 2023, ED provisionally attached 31 such properties having value of Rs 535 crore approx. The properties, in which no complaints or FIRs were registered, were also attached by ED given that these were also illegally acquired.
Repeat offenders, Rajkumar Maithi and Vikrant Shetty, arrested by ED during the course of investigation for their alleged involvement in the case, are presently in judicial custody. They were earlier arrested by the SIT (Land Grab) of Goa Police in multiple FIRs against them and others. Meanwhile, the SIT is probing 41 such cases.
