The probe into the jobs-for-cash scam appears to be little more than an eyewash. The accused publicly named top officials”including Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, IAS officer Nikhil Desai, and PWD engineer Uttam Parsekar”yet the investigation has avoided addressing these allegations.
For years, the government has repeatedly extended service of top officials beyond retirement which has allegedly given rise to corrupt practices.
Although names were revealed a year ago, they remain absent from the chargesheet. Educated youth, the primary victims of such scams, continue to suffer while corruption flourishes.
These rackets expose a systemic problem: desperate jobseekers are exploited by fraudsters and officials demanding large sums for government posts. The alleged involvement of a cabinet minister and senior bureaucrats shows deep-rooted corruption that erodes public trust in fair, merit-based employment.
Pooja Naik and others appear to be mere pawns, while the real masterminds remain untouched. With widespread perceptions of corruption in the PWD, government silence only fuels suspicion. A high-level probe”or CBI investigation”is urgently needed, especially as Goa still lacks a Lokayukta.
