Panjim: Rahul Desai, the Mamlatdar named as accused in five land grabbing cases has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing land grabbing cases.

Despite being booked by the Mapusa Police, in the land grab cases registered,

Desai was recently given a fresh posting as Mormugao Mamlatdar.

This is the first arrest of a Gazetted officer of the State government ever since the SIT was constituted to probe the cases.

The driver of the Mamlatdar, Yogesh Vazarkar, was already arrested in connection with the land grab cases that are being probed by the SIT. Two staffers from the Department of Archives were also arrested by the SIT.

Herald had highlighted how the Mamlatdar had got preferential treatment in the case even after being named in almost 20 alleged land grab cases registered.

One of the victims of the land grabbing case had gone on record claiming that even after naming Desai there was no action taken against the officer by the investigating team.

Complainants and lawyers had expressed shock as the former Bardez Mamlatdar was instead transferred to Mormugao.