PANJIM: The investigation into the land-grabbing cases of South Goa that O Heraldo highlighted has revealed that the lands of Goans have been looted for the last entire decade.
Hectares of land have been robbed of the rightful owners and the accusations have yet again pointed fingers towards the government officials who allegedly aided the cheating in exchange for money.
The investigation officers have revealed that a huge amount of money was exchanged for the transfer of land to the beneficiaries. Multiple government offices, right from the Mamlatdar and the Sub Registrar's office have been found to have aided the plunder.
According to the investigation done by the SIT land grabbing, this land loot has been happening covertly for the last entire decade. Lands in as many as seven villages of Salcete taluka have been taken off from the rightful legal heirs and sold by creating forged documents and fake personalities.
Forged title documents seen and passed by Mamlatdar, 12 files of mutations missing
In a case that is currently being investigated by the SIT, the accused has created forged title documents ie Deeds of Succession, Deeds of Sale, Tenancy Purchase Certificates, Deeds of family partition and used them as genuine. The same were produced before the Mamlatdar/Joint Mamlatdar, Salcete in mutation proceedings and got their names included in Form IX of properties across seven villages in Salcete. The accused deleted the names of the original occupants/owners.
On seeking information under RTI from the office of Mamlatdar it was found that the said 12 files of mutations were found to be missing.
Investigation officer Suraj Samant said, “Mutation of properties have taken place in the Mamlatdar offices without paying any heed to check whether the Power of Attorney (PoA) of the property is alive. Investigators are surprised for what benefit the set rules were bent to such an extent,” he said.
In the past SIT while investigating land grabbing cases of Bardez taluka has found the Mamlatdar of Bardez involved in numerous cases, for which Mamlatdar Rahul Desai was arrested. This arrest started a spree of arrests of Government officials in the Department of Archives and Sub-registrar.
All eyes are now set on the investigation and the action that the SIT will take against the entire nexus, including the masterminds of these land-grabbing cases.