Absconding accused in Cunchelim land fraud finally in police net

One of the 36 homes demolished in the Cunchelim land scam – a stark reminder of shattered dreams and lost life savings, as families were misled by officials and influential fraudsters they trusted.

MAPUSA
In a dramatic development nearly a year after the Cunchelim land scam sent shockwaves across Goa, the Mapusa Police late Thursday night arrested the remaining three accused who had been on the run despite serious allegations of fraud and political shielding.

The arrested trio – Raju Mandrekar, Raja Anthony and Sumit Phadte – had allegedly orchestrated the fraudulent sale of Comunidade and government-acquired land, duping several unsuspecting buyers.

Their arrest comes months after three others – Ramesh Rao, a staffer of Mapusa Municipal Council, Shakil Shaikh and Ravi Chavan – were apprehended in the same case.

Victims of the scam had lodged repeated complaints, alleging they were lured into purchasing plots ranging from 100 to 250 sqm, with payments between Rs 4.5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, based on forged documents and false promises of ownership and construction approvals.

However, the land either belonged to the Cunchelim Comunidade or had already been acquired by the government.

The scam unravelled when several buyers who had already begun construction on the plots saw their homes demolished by the State administration last year on grounds of illegal occupation – exposing the magnitude of the fraud.

While police were quick to arrest the first three accused, the remaining trio – believed to have close links to influential political figures – evaded arrest for months, triggering criticism of selective policing and political interference in the investigation. “This wasn’t just a land scam – it was a betrayal of public trust. The delay in arresting the politically connected accused raised serious questions about police intent,” said a resident who lost his savings in the fraud.

Sources also claimed that some members of the Cunchelim Comunidade and a few Mapusa municipal councillors were under the scanner for allegedly facilitating the scam or turning a blind eye to the illegalities.

The case had rocked Mapusa and exposed glaring loopholes in land governance and the ease with which fraudsters manipulated documents to sell protected land.

The arrests now pave the way for a deeper investigation into the larger network of collusion, including potential white-collar and political beneficiaries.

Police have indicated that the investigation is still ongoing and more arrests could follow.