PANAJI
The Opposition on Tuesday accused the government of shielding the real culprits and targeting ‘scapegoats’ in the controversial ‘Excise Scam’ in which forged receipts and not depositing the amount in the treasury which surfaced in June last year.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao while speaking on the demands for grants pertaining to the Excise Department said it was shocking that the internal audit system of the department had failed to detect this scam where crores of rupees actually meant to go into the State exchequer was actually going into private pockets.
The government had suspended two excise inspectors “ one each from Tiswadi and Pernem “ and an Upper Division Clerk (UDC) from the Pernem Excise circle.
However, Goa Forward Party (GFP) MLA, Vijai Sardesai alleged that by reinstating the excise inspectors and acting only against the UDC the message is clear that the Pramod Sawant government is shielding the real culprits and making the UDC a scapegoat. “The written reply to a question says that a preliminary enquiry is being done and the report is awaited. How come, then, you have reinstated the inspectors but not the UDC?” Sardesai asked.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in his reply however said that the government has indeed acted in the Excise Department, adding that a staffer of the Pernem Excise Circle is even suspended with proceedings still on.
In June last year, after the issue was raised by excise licence holders from the Pernem circles a sustained campaign by The Goan had led to the then Excise Commissioner suspending two inspectors, Vibhuti Shetye and Durgesh Naik, and an UDC Harish Naik.
The amount embezzled was to the tune of Rs 2 crore approximately. They were suspended pending disciplinary proceedings.
