Team Herald

MAPUSA: Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Mapusa, Shantashri Kudchadkar adjourned to October 30, the trial of former tourism minister Dilip Parulekar in the Serula Comunidade land grab case filed by Adv Aires Rodrigues. 

When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, Parulekar was exempted from personal appearance.

Seeking that the trial be expedited, Adv Rodrigues drew the attention of the Court that the case was four years old and that the Supreme Court has also directed that criminal cases against politicians be fast tracked.  

In an order passed on June 22, 2018, the High Court Justice C V Bhadang directed Dilip Parulekar to face trial for offences under Sections 119, 120, 420 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. Besides, then attorney of Serula Comunidade Peter Martins and then Administrator of Comunidade, north zone, Irene Sequeira were also directed to face trial in the same case.

According to Adv Rodrigues, the Comunidade had granted 599 sq mts of its land to Parulekar for a mere Rs 3,41,320. However, the value of that land is more than one crore rupees. Adv Rodrigues alleged that Parulekar had grabbed the land at a throw away price in connivance with Martins and Sequeira.