the goan I network
PANAJI
Weeks after he filed a public interest litigation alleging illegalities and green law violations by a project in land owned in Netravali by Abijat Parrikar, the son of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Abhijit Prabhudesai was removed as deputy sarpanch by a quasi-judicial order passed by the Director of Panchayats, Rajan Satardekar.
Following quasi-judicial proceeding, Satardekar passed orders last week allowing the petition of Shiv Sena leader Rakhi Prabhudesai under the provisions of the Goa Panchayati Raj Act on February 21. It held that Abhijit and the sarpanch Rajani Gaonkar “stand removed” from office and will cease to be members for a period of five years.
The complaint against Abhijit and Rajani pertains to a move of the panchayat in July 2017, by which fees were levied on vehicles entering the touristic spots in the village, aimed at ensuring that the tourists do not litter and strew the place with broken bottles and other waste.
The duo claimed that the panchayat had passed a resolution to charge tourists for parking fees as well as for clearing the garbage. Collection of the fees had commence but at a later date, the State government intervened and held that the village body had no powers to levy the fees.
The complainant, Rakhi, who is a spokesperson of the State unit of the Shiv Sena, claimed that Abhijit and Rajani collected huge sums of money from “unsuspecting tourists” and forged the rubber stamp of the panchayat. She also alleged that duplicate receipt books, which were not issued by the panchayat secretary, were used for the purpose of collecting the money from the tourists.
Both Abhijit and Rajani denied the allegations of forgery and argued that the proposal to collect fees from the vehicles was backed by a resolution of the panchayat which was further confirmed by a gram sabha.
In their oral and written submissions, both Abhijit and Rajani, also said that the instructions of the directorate of panchayat to stop collecting the fees from tourists was also given effect immediately.
Satardekar in his order however upheld the contention of the complainant and accordingly passed orders removing Abhijit and Rajani from the office of the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch besides also disqualifying them as members of the panchayat for five years.
QUASI-JUDICIAL ORDER
Director of Panchayats held that Abhijit and the sarpanch Rajani Gaonkar “stand removed” from office and will cease to be members for a period of five years
THE COMPLAINT
The complaint against Abhijit and Rajani pertains to a move of the panchayat in July 2017, by which fees were levied on vehicles entering the touristic spots in the village, aimed at ensuring that the tourists do not litter and strew the place with broken bottles and other waste
Abhijit and Rajani collected huge sums of money from “unsuspecting tourists” and forged the rubber stamp of the panchayat
