Panaji
The ongoing probe being conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into land grabbing has revealed that at least 70 properties in the North Goa district worth around `1,000 crore have been transferred in the names of prospective buyers by way of forged documents.
The investigation has also revealed that the original documents of such properties were obtained by the land grabbing gang from the office of the Directorate of Archives and Archaeology and the civil registrar cum sub-registrar office for preparing the forged documents of these properties.
One of the accused in the land grabbing case, Vikrant Shetty, was arrested by the SIT on Saturday. On Sunday, he was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Mapusa, which remanded him to five days of police custody.
Shetty was arrested following a probe that revealed his involvement in the crime. Police sources said that so far the ongoing investigation has revealed that about 60-70
properties in North Goa district have been transferred in the names of prospective buyers by way of forged documents. The value of these properties is around `1,000 crore as per the present market rates.
According to sources, more arrests are likely in the coming days. Senior police officials said that looking at the nature of this mega land scam, there is a need for many investigating officers and support teams so as to conduct a thorough investigation and take the matter to its logical conclusion. Currently there are only two investigating officers, who have been assigned
the task.
It may be noted that last week, the state government had constituted a SIT to investigate various complaints and first information reports filed on land frauds and
land grabbing.
According to the order issued by the Home Department, Superintendent of Police (crime branch) Nidhin Valsan, Deputy Collector (South Goa) Snehal Prabhu, Deputy Superintendent of Police Braz Menezes, police inspector Satish Gaude, police inspector (IRB) Nilesh Shirodkar, a representative of the Department of Archaeology and a representative of the state registrar are the members of the SIT.