PANAJI
More than two years after the expose, the Goa government has dismissed the suspended head clerk with Excise Department, Harish Naik, from service for pocketing fees collected from licence holders.
In her order, Excise Commissioner Ankita Mishra said Naik has been dismissed from service and barred from future employment with the government.
"...after careful consideration of the inquiry report, the representation submitted by the charged officer, and all materials available on record, the undersigned being the disciplinary authority, has come to the conclusion that the charges proved are of a grave nature and warrant the imposition of the severest major penalty," the order stated.
"...the undersigned imposes on the UDC Harish Naik the penalty of dismissal from government service which shall ordinarily be a disqualification for future employment under the government."
The case, described as the biggest scam in the history of the Excise Department, accused the Upper Division Clerk of allegedly pocketing licence fees and sharing the money with some of his superiors. Fake licences and receipts were issued, leaving licence holders unaware until notices of non-payment were sent by the Excise Headquarters.
The Goan’s expose on June 22, 2023 led to the suspension of Naik along with two inspectors, Vibhuti Shetye and Durgesh Naik. The then Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad acknowledged the scam, and the department managed to recover Rs 27.78 lakh plus interest from Harish Naik within three days of the expose.
Of 76 licences renewed while Harish Naik was posted in Pernem, majority were renewed between December 2017 and January 2022 by the inspectors. Records showed 36 renewals were signed by Durgesh Naik, 20 by Vibhuti Shetye, seven by Ashok Gaonkar, four by Kamlesh Majik and one each by Surekha Gohar and Amol Harwalkar. Show cause notices were also served on four inspectors for renewing licences without verification.
The incident also prompted Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to promise strict action against those guilty.
While the government continued extending Harish Naik’s suspension until his dismissal, the Vigilance Department revoked the suspensions of inspectors Durgesh Naik and Vibhuti Shetye. The department stated that only the two inspector's systems were used by the UDC, and there was insufficient evidence against them, following which the Suspension Review Committee approved their reinstatement.
