PANJIM: The Goa Government has launched an aggressive drive to register tenant verification on a continuous basis over the last 10 days. The drive has been extended by 5 days. The question, that arises with this tenants drive is will it be a deterrent for those who come to Goa for few days or months, commit crimes and scoot from the State?
SP Crime Rahul Gupta told media that a special track is being kept of foreigners coming into the State and staying in the coastal belt of North Goa. Over the last three days, 7 to 8 cases have been registered against foreigners overstaying in Goa, he informed.
Gupta refused to give details from which countries these over-stayers came from. He just stated that it would not be proper to name the countries and that they come from different countries. But from whichever country they are we take legal action. As regards tenant verification of migrants, SP Gupta stated that police stations in Goa are sending forms to the home state of migrants to check the antecedents of migrants on a case to case basis. However, every police station in Goa can use the CCTNS project of the Ministry of Home Affairs, to check data about individuals.
“Getting police verification from their state when they come looking for a job may not be Constitutionally possible. Why would you go to a state looking for a job if this is asked for. If Goans go for a job to Hyderabad will you ask us to take a police verification? It wont work,” Advocate Collasso opined.
Political Commentator Trajano D’Mello said no crime can be stopped totally. “We must appreciate the Chief Minister and the government for Tenant verification. The reason is crimes will be easily detectable and traceable. My information tells me that the tenant verification form submitted at the local police station in Goa, one copy goes to the home state of the migrant. The police in that state check the details and even if they have committed petty crimes, that information will be passed on to the Goa police,” D’Mello said.