PANAJI
Two government officers/officials have come under scrutiny for alleged links with cash-for-job racketeer Pooja Naik, through whom two job seekers reportedly managed to get government jobs paying bribes.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the two officers will face the law while expressing concerns that a more thorough police investigation earlier might have prevented Naik from deceiving more victims.
“Two names within the government administration have surfaced and they are in Naik’s contact list. Naik has also confessed to the police that two jobs were arranged using these officers,” Sawant said, speaking at the inauguration of Vigilance Awareness Week.
The Chief Minister further stated that persons like Pooja Naik, despite lacking any genuine links with government administration, present themselves as having extensive influence and cheat the public.
“She has been running this operation for 10-12 years largely because people fell for her tricks. She has no job but owns five luxury cars, from an Audi to a Fortuner; and even owns four flats in her name,” he said while recalling that he had previously grown suspicious of her when she approached him with a job applicant.
He then called a female constable and sent Naik to the Bicholim police for interrogation.
“The police ensured she returned the money to some victims but if a thorough investigation had been conducted, she would not have continued deceiving people repeatedly,” the Chief Minister added, urging government officials to remain vigilant against such fraudsters taking advantage of the system.
Sawant also insisted on the government’s strict stance on corruption, stating that “anyone involved in corruption will not be spared, regardless of their position.”
“In the past 8 to 10 days, we have seen people accusing politicians however, these fraudsters, who falsely pose as government officials, have no actual ties to the government. They mislead the public,” he stated.
