Are water tanks now poll battle tanks?

20 water tanks suspected to be Mickky’s poll gift land in Loutolim, seized by flying squad
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
LOUTOLIM: This could go down in the top five list of innovative election gifts — water storage tanks. Some people of Carvota, Loutolim were on the verge of receiving this poll sop, reportedly, from Benaulim MLA and aspirant from Nuvem Mickky Pacheco, when a flying squad, acting on a tip off arrived at breakneck speed.
One person has been booked by Maina-Curtorim police in this connection.
Dramatic moments were witnessed in the otherwise quiet part of Carvota-Loutolim, which falls in Nuvem constituency, when the Election Flying Squad (EFS) from the South Goa Collectorate raided a place at about 2.30 pm and seized the 20 500-ltr water tanks, allegedly for distribution to local voters.
The EFS had been tipped about the water tanks lying in the compound of a house in Carvota.
Surprisingly, the house owner protested her innocence, claiming she was unaware of the person who had stored the tanks outside her house.
Incidentally, Loutolim Sarpanch Sergio Fernandes, a staunch supporter of Benaulim MLA and the Goa Vikas Party candidate from Nuvem, who resides nearby, went to the site and reportedly told Joint Mamlatdar (Salcete) J B Fernandes and Field Surveyor Nitin Dessai, both members of EFS, that he (Sergio) had bought the water tanks.
When Salcete SDO Dashrath Redkar, who heads the EFS, along with PSI Navlesh Desai later went to the site, one Seby Vaz from Loutolim claimed that it was he, and not Sergio, who had bought the tanks. Vaz reportedly assured to produce necessary bills to prove his claim.
Margao DySP Shamba Sawant, EFS Commercial Tax Officer Santosh Kundaikar and his team and  Maina-Curtorim PI Nelson Albuquerque and a police force also rushed to the site.
Later, all 20 water tanks were attached and taken to Margao amid strong objections from locals and some persons who had come from Betalbatim.
When Redkar demanded the bill to prove ownership of the tanks, Vaz produced a bill issued by one Ms Ambe Electricals, which, surprisingly, failed to show any tax charged for the goods.
Vaz was unable to justify the purchase of the 20 tanks and tried hard to claim that they were purchased for use in his shack at Betalbatim, but Redkar was not convinced with the explanation.
The SDO then ordered that all 20 tanks be attached and asked Vaz to produce necessary evidence to stake claim to the tanks.
EFS Commercial Tax Officer Santosh Kundaikar said the person claiming to have purchased the water tanks will have to produce relevant bills, as the bill produced had no tax details.
“Also, the tanks have been bought from a shop selling electrical goods”, said Kundaikar.
When contacted, Maina-Curtorim Police stated that an offence was registered against Seby Vaz under Section 188 (violating orders duly promulgated), 186 (obstructing to the flying squad), 171E (bribery) IPC.
“The complaint was filed by SDO Redkar and the police has booked the accused”, PI Albuquerque told Herald, but declined to give further details into the seizure of the 20 water tanks at Loutolim.