TEAM HERALD
teamheald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: After maintaining silence for over a week, following allegations over disproportionate assets in the Porvorim property purchase case, Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Rajendra Arlekar, finally warned lawyer-activist that he would file a defamation case for the ‘malicious and slanderous’ complaint.
Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on Monday, Arlekar strongly refuted allegations of disproportionate assets in buying the Rs 72-lakh plot at Porvorim in August last year.
“The amount towards the purchase of land has been entirely paid through three cheques. I took a loan of Rs 57 lakh, which was the first cheque payment. The balance of Rs 15 lakh was paid through two cheques drawn on SBI for Rs 10 lakh and Rs five lakh from my personal savings. The purchase is fully accounted for,” he said as he flashed bank documents to media personnel.
The press briefing followed after Anti Corruption Branch’s deputy superintendent of police recorded his statement in connection with the case, which has been filed by Adv Aires Rodrigues. He informed that all the relevant documents pertaining to the purchase of the plot as well as details of his family income were submitted to ACB.
“I have submitted all the documents to the officer…I have nothing to hide as I am not into corrupt ways of earning. Presently, my income has increased after a lapse of two-to-three years out of my business (petrol pump in Vasco), drawing salary and honorarium admissible to the Speaker. My wife too is working as a school teacher,” he disclosed.
Arlekar said he is strongly contemplating filing a defamation case against the complainant and urged the government to initiate action against Rodrigues for filing malicious and fake complaints. Referring to the complainant, he alleged that RTI Act is being misused for blackmailing and extortion.
“Some are habituated to misuse RTI for blackmailing. Some do with the intention to extort money…Some notorious people are engaged in this business…” he added.
He further expressed the possibility of moving privilege motion during the forthcoming Legislative Assembly Session scheduled to be held on March 3.
Meanwhile Adv Aires Rodrigues has challenged the Speaker to prove his allegations that the issue against him of the alleged disproportionate asset was raised to blackmail the Speaker.
Reacting to the allegations made by Speaker on Monday, Rodrigues has dared him to reveal the details of the so called feelers he has claimed he received but could himself not substantiate.
