PANJIM: Corruption in
Goa’s administration was shamefully detected towards the top, with the Anti
Corruption Bureau arresting Additional District Magistrate- 1 North Goa, Sabaji
Shetye for accepting a bribe of Rs 25000 from an engineering consultant to
issue a NOC for an explosives storage unit.
The Superintendent of Police (ACB) Bosco George said that
following a complaint from Nishant S Kurade, an FIR was lodged against Shetye
on May 19 and since then he had been under their radar.
“We arrested Shetye at his office while accepting a bribe of
Rs 25,000 from the complainant. He has been booked under sections of the
Prevention of Corruption Act,” George said.
As per the complaint, Shetye had been demanding Rs 50,000
each from four companies to issue NOCs to obtain explosives storage licences.
However, Kurade bargained and brought down the amount to Rs 95,000 for three of
his clients as one client refused to pay the bribe.
According to ACB sources, on Tuesday, a part payment was
supposed to be made to Shetye and he called Kurade to his office to deliver the
cash. It is learned that Shetye did not receive the amount in his hands but
asked Kurade to drop it into his drawer.
The ACB team that had laid the trap waited till Shetye moved
out of his office for lunch hoping he would pick the cash from the drawer and
have it on him. To their luck, the ACB team apprehended Shetye and found the
cash in his possession.
Kurade also submitted voice recordings to ACB along with the
complaint copy. Police Inspector F X Corte is the Investigation Officer of the
case under the supervision of Superintendents of Police Bossuet Silva and Bosco
George.
ACB has also searched Shetye’s flat in Caranzalem where he
has been residing. Officials said that Shetye’s bunglow at Porvorim is also
being searched.
A Senior ACB officer said that after scrutiny of Shetye’s
movable and immovable assets, a disproportionate assets case may be recommended
to be booked.
“Right now he is booked under Section 7 of Prevention of
Corruption Act, other sections will be added in the course of investigations”
the ACB officer said.
Shetye had also been under the ACB scanner two years ago
following a complaint against him of gross irregularities in the office of
Bardez Deputy Collector when he was holding charge.
As per the complaints Shetye used to attach a separate sheet
to the file along with handwritten note by him “Please Speak”, which, according
to sources was a hint at demanding financial gratification
In May 2015 ACB had raided the deputy collector’s office at
Bardez and seized almost 50 odd such files.
