PANJIM: Corruption in Goa’s administration was shamefully detected towards the top, with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) 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.
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.
