Team Herald
PANJIM: In a major submission, the State government has admitted before the Goa Lokayukta that the financial support meant for building and other construction workers (BOCW) to tide over the loss of wages caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been availed by several bogus beneficiaries and the re-verification process has started.
The submission was made by Labour Commissioner Raju Gawas before Lokayukta Justice (retired) PK Misra, in a complaint filed by GFP vice president Durgadas Kamat, who had charged that an amount of over Rs 13 crore has been disbursed to 15,490 BJP workers cum ‘so called’ construction workers and labourers during the pandemic.
Speaking to media persons after the hearing on Thursday, Kamat said, “Labour Commissioner has also admitted that two Sarpanchas and a panch, who took the benefit of the scheme, have refunded the amount. Their names have been de-registered,” he said.
Stating that the inquiry is in process, the Labour Department has sought for eight weeks time to submit the interim report. “However, Lokayukta refused and granted only four weeks time,” Kamat said. The matter will be now heard on August 5.
Lokayukta had earlier this month, while admitting the case, said that there are ‘sufficient’ and ‘reasonable’ grounds to investigate the ‘Labour Gate Scam’. The ombudsman body had also said it will examine as to whether any investigating agency like ACB or CB can be directed to register FIR against unknown persons and to carry on investigation to find and prosecute the culprits.
