PANAJI
The ongoing investigation into property frauds in Goa, more particularly in Bardez taluka, has led to further arrests, two of whom are employees of the Department of Archives.
Superintendent of Police (Special Investigation Team “ Land Grab) Nidhin Valsan informed the media that Dhiresh Naik and Mahesh Naik, both residents of Ponda and Archives staff; along with Anil Naik, also from Ponda are arrested for cheating a Calangute family by conniving with others to illegally transfer their ownership rights.
In their complaint to the SIT, Hilario Fernandes and Juliet Fernandes alleged that on July 19, 2022, Antoneta Fernandes alias Antoninta Fernandes alias Antonette Fernandes, Sandric Fernandes, Maria Angela Fernandes alias Maria Angeli Fernandes alias Maria Angelica Fernandes, all from Sattari; Rayaji Ganpati Patil of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, Suneel Goyal of Porvorim and the Mamlatdar of Bardez among others forged documents of their property in Survey Nos. 26/9 and 476/2 in Calangute and produced it as genuine before the concerned authorities to transfer the ownership rights. The offense occurred in the office of the Mamlatdar, Bardez.
Dhiresh and his colleague Shivanand Madkaikar were among the first to be arrested in another land scam, in June 2022. With this, three employees of the Archives department are booked for the crime.
The SIT has, till date, arrested about 24 persons, of whom several have been re-arrested for their alleged involvement in more than one case of land fraud. Suspended Mamlatdar Rahul Desai, former sub-registrar Premanand Dessai, and kingpin Mohammad Suhail are some of the high-profile arrests.
