PANAJI
Goa government could boast of an “impeccable” record as not a single government official has been caught in disproportionate assets or corruption cases for over three years.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant shared this information on the floor of the House, stating that since 2021, no cases of corruption or disproportionate assets have been registered by the Anti-Corruption Branch against government officials.
The records till January 15, 2024 show ‘nil’ in response to an unstarred question seeking to know cases registered at ACB/Vigilance of disproportionate assets and corruption against government officials since 2020.
Three First Information Reports (FIRs) in 2020 -- two against Head Constable Tukaram Shirodkar, and Anjuna panch members Sheetal Dabholkar, Hanumant Govekar and Surendra Govekar for corruption; and a third one against Noise Pollution member of Anjuna Devanand Shirodkar and Clerk of Anjuna panchayat Reema Shirodkar for disproportionate assets -- are still under investigation.
However, despite no cases in these years, the ACB still has 37 FIRs pending investigation, with one dating back to 2006 against one officer of the Corporation of the City of Panaji.
Former Minister of Animal Husbandry (Ravi Naik); and former Leader of Opposition Babu Kavlekar, his wife Savitri besides several other government employees are being investigated for various offences ranging from forgery, criminal conspiracy, corruption, disproportionate assets, misappropriation of funds, irregularities, etc.
