PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has approved an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) into the ‘labour gate’ scam related to alleged misappropriation of Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Welfare Fund.
The Chief Minister has forwarded the file to the Labour Department for further action into the matter.
It may be recalled that on September 23, the Chief Minister Sawant had stated, “I have asked the Labour Department to process the file and send it to me. If the need be, I will forward it to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.”
Former Goa Lokayukta Justice (Retd) P K Misra, had recommended a probe by the ACB in what is now being dubbed as the “labour gate”. It has been alleged that irregularities have occurred in disbursal of funds earmarked for distribution to Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) and that these funds were allegedly granted to fake beneficiaries who did not fulfill the criteria.
As per his findings, the Lokayukta had directed the ACB to file an FIR against unknown persons for conspiracy to siphon off the funds and for fraudulently benefiting from it.
