What a googly, GCA trio’s signatures not a match

PANJIM: In what can demolish the entire police investigation in the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) scam, the specimen signatures of the three accused do not match those on the documents submitted to the DCB (Development Credit Bank). The signatures of two of the accused on the cheque on Federal Bank, however, are a match.

Police investigation revealed that the specimen signatures of GCA President Chetan Desai, Secretary Vinod Phadke and Treasurer Akbar Mulla obtained by the EOC (Economic Offence Cell) of Goa Police do not match those on the cheque, account opening form and photo identity allegedly signed by the trio with the DCB officials.

The specimen signatures were sent to the Forensic Science laboratory-Hyderabad by EOC to verify the signature samples collected during the course of investigation. EOC has received a report of the same.   

As per the FIR, the trio had opened a fake and forged bank account in DCB and illegally withdrawn Rs 2.87 crore by misappropriating the cricketing body’s funds. 

However, the specimen signature of Desai and Phadke match the signatures on the cheque for Rs 26 lakh issued from the Federal Bank on the pretext of making payment to a sports goods company called ‘Hako Enterprise’. 

Superintendent of Police, Priyanka Kashyap (IPS) who is heading the EOC, said that the file has been sent to the Director of Prosecution for opinion and a chargesheet is likely to be filed in court before the end of December.

The case was initially investigated by Police Sub Inspector Prassana Bhagat whereas at the later stages it was handed over to PI Shivram Vaigankar. Most of the investigation was conducted by Bhagat under the guidance of SP Kashyap.