Goa’s transport department, under the ministry of Sudin Dhavlikar has been a series of constant controversies which have led to conflict between alliance partners – BJP and MGP in the Parsekar led government. The controversy train started with speed governors followed by high security registration plates, recruitment of assistant motor vehicle inspectors (AMVIs) and now bribery cases which are raising serious concerns over the amount of corruption in the department. The transport department is one of prime importance to the people of the state.
Since 2012, the Anti Corruption Bureau has arrested five employees of the transport department including an assistant director of the enforcement wing. Meena Tuyekar (LDC), Naresh Narvekar (clerk), Dattaram Gawde (peon), Uday Dawas (Assistant Director) and Vaman Umbracar (AMVI) are the five arrested employees. More arrests, however, are likely as the ACB found out about a recent Rs 1 lakh bribery case.
Tuyekar, working with the Assistant Director of Transport in Mapusa was caught red-handed as she was accepting a bribe of Rs 300 from a complainant who wished to transfer ownership of a vehicle at the Mapusa RTO. She was booked under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and later suspended by the transport department. The ACB is still investigating the case. This case clearly indicates corruption at the lowest level but as per the trend, this goes all the way to the top. Soon after this arrest at Mapusa, another employee was held.
Narvekar, also working at the Mapusa RTO was arrested for accepting a bribe of Rs 600 to facilitate temporary registration of a vehicle. He was also booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act and suspended. In both cases, the complainant was irked by the corrupt practices of the transport department officials. The ACB which cleverly laid a trap, caught the suspects red-handed.
The third case was perhaps the most shocking. Uday Gawas, the Assistant Director himself fell into a trap laid down by the ACB at Panjim after a transport contractor complained to the bureau. Gawas and AMVI Vaman Umbrascar were held as they accepted a bribe of Rs 90000 (demanded Rs 1.5lakh) from the contractor to operate his business in their jurisdiction.
Gawas, using an official car, came with the AMVI to collect this bribe and as a result, both were held along with the vehicle. Both officers are now facing charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and will subsequently be suspended.
The fourth case in which a peon, Dattaram Gawade alias Damu was arrested in August 2015 took an interesting turn. The peon was arrested accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from an AMVI but on further investigation, it was found that he took the bribe on the behest of the Deputy Director of Transport, Vishram Govekar who is a vigilance officer in the transport department. Damu accepted the bribe from Alisted Fernandes to settle his service issues.
In this entire saga, links between the lower staff and the seniors have been exposed. Moreover, it has also been hinted that the lower staff are either forced or protected to accept bribes by the senior staff of the department. Damu made a statement before a magistrate and confessed that he accepted the bribe on behalf of Govekar.
The government was forced to transfer Director of Transport Arun Dessai after ACB’s investigations in the matter.
