THE CASE
Fraudulent transfer of five plots owned by Serula Communidade in 2014CONTEMPT
OF COURT?
In an inter-office communiqué dated April 11, 2017, the inquiry officer had pointed out that certain time-bound directions of the High Court of Bombay at Goa passed in various PILs/writ petitions were not complied with and therefore attracted contempt ------------------------------------------
CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS
BY THE INQUIRY OFFICER
* All office files/records/documents and old/archive files are dumped in cupboards and most of the records are totally damaged and destroyed by termites * There is no proper security for the office records/files and there is not proper locking system for most of the cupboards
* The office building of the administrator of communidade (North) in dilapidated condition and requires urgent repair
(More than a year after the observations were made, nothing has changed in communidade office)
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MAPUSA: The State government which has asked one of its senior officers to resume investigation in the Serula land scam, has failed to act on observations made by the officer in the case just a year ago.
In his previous role as the inquiry officer in the Serula communidade case, senior officer, Srinet Kotwale had pointed out that the government had failed to comply with certain High Court directions, for which it could be hauled up for contempt of court.
In an inter-office communiqué dated April 11, 2017, Kotwale had pointed out that certain time-bound directions of the High Court of Bombay at Goa passed in various PILs/writ petitions were not complied with and therefore attracted contempt.
“One such direction is regarding non-compliance of judgement order dated May 6, 2016 passed by the High Court in a writ petition 15 and 16 of 2014 in the matter of Trajano D’Mello, State of Goa and others, which had directed the collector and administrator of communidade to restore the subject properly,” Kotwale had written to the collector, under secretary revenue and administrator of communidade (North).
It may be recalled Trajano D’Mello, when he was in the opposition, NCP, had filed the writ petitions 15 & 16/2014 against fraudulent transfer of five plots owned by Serula Communidade.
Acting on the writ petition, the High Court in its May 6, 2016 order had directed state authorities to evict the persons occupying the plots and revert the land to the original owner, Serula Communidade.
"The government has taken action in the case. The Congress chief is demanding what the government has already set rolling," said Trajano D'Mello, who is now on the government's side being the chief spokesman of Goa Forward Party.
As part of his inquiry, Kotwale, who was then joint secretary (Home) had visited the office of the administrator of communidade (North) situated in Mapusa and found that the records were not properly maintained.
“All office files/records/documents and old/archive files are dumped in cupboards and most of the records are totally damaged and destroyed by termites,” Kotwale said.
Stating that the office had failed to adopt proper record management, Kotwale had also pointed out that most of the records were missing from the office.
“There is no proper security for the office records/files and there is not proper locking system for most of the cupboards,” he said.
The inquiry officer had also brought to the attention of the government that the office building of the administrator of communidade (North) was in dilapidated condition and required urgent repair.
More than a year after the observations were made by the then joint secretary nothing has changed in the communidade office.
“The roof of this building is crumbling. We are working under constant threat especially during the monsoons,” said a staffer in the commuidade office.
