PANAJI: North Goa Special Court today acquitted Minister Mauvin Godinho and others from the multi-crore power rebate scam case dating back to 1998.
The case involving alleged irregularities worth Rs 4.52 crore in the power department was exposed by then Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar & subsequently an FIR was registered by the Crime Branch.
Godinho, now Panchayat Minister in the BJP-led government, was holding the Power portfolio in the then Congress regime. The Special Court had, in 2006, ordered framing of charges against the accused.
The order was challenged in the High Court, which held that, prima facie, there is material to frame a charge for corruption against the accused. In 2018, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court order to proceed with the trial.
The Crime Branch had filed a chargesheet against Godinho, two industrial units, and four other individuals in connection with the alleged scam
