MAPUSA
With the magnitude of the land grabbing cases growing with every passing day, the State government on Tuesday has transferred and posted additional 22 policemen at the special investigation team (SIT).
Three Police Inspectors, five Police Sub Inspectors, two Assistant Sub Inspectors and 12 other police personnel have been asked to join the ongoing SIT investigation in land grab cases with immediate effect on June 22.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed that many new land grabbing cases were coming to light with every passing day.
"We have decided to strengthen the SIT constituted to investigate illegal land grabbing/transfer cases by adding 22 more police officials to the team. We will leave no stone unturned to get to the root of the matter and book the culprits," Sawant said.
Sawant also said, “the SIT is fully investigating its first case. Many officers from archaeology department, sub-registrar and revenue department are under the scanner. Some of these officers have cleared files within one day”.
He said at the moment three to four officers were under the scanner and whoever was guilty will have to face the music.
In the meanwhile, Mapusa Police, which has registered several land grabbing cases at the police station, on Tuesday sent 21 such cases to the SIT for further investigation.
So far, the SIT has arrested one person, Vikrant Shetty from Gogol, Margao involved in the land grabbing cases.
A Mapusa court had remanded the accused to five days police custody.
It may be recalled, the State government on Wednesday, last week, had set up the SIT headed by SP (crime) Nidhin Valsan (IPS) to investigate into all cases of illegal transfer of land ownership.
The order issued by the Home Department of the government said the SIT is being constituted to inquire into the multiple complaints and FIRs that have been registered relating to illegal transfer of land using forged documents.
