PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has clearly overstepped the line to ensure his brother-in-law Ghanshyam aka Dilip Malvankar is back in government service, and ‘coincidentally’ in the same department – Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) – where he served before being suspended last August.
Parsekar was left red-faced when an efficient team of the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) led by its then SP Bosco George caught the field officer red-handed accepting a Rs 1 lakh bribe for allotment of land in Tuem Industrial Estate. But with the CM’s alleged interference, Malvankar was bailed out within a day of his arrest on August 19, 2015.
Investigating officers, PI Nolasco Raposo and SP George were shunted out of the ACB on October 27, 2015 and November 29, 2015 respectively. Though the transfers were termed as ‘routine’, the move was nothing but an alleged attempt to soften the graft charges against Malvankar. “The officers were punished for daring to catch the CM’s brother-in-law on the wrong foot,” an officer said seeking anonymity.
According to the ACB records, Malvankar and another GIDC officer Ajit Gaunekar had demanded a bribe amount from one Sanjay Kumawat, who had applied for an industrial plot at Tuem Industrial Estate to set up a manufacturing unit of ayurvedic medicines. A complaint was filed with the ACB followed by a trap laid to nab the alleged accused.
This wasn’t the end of the CM’s interference in the case, an allegation which he has been denying. It is reliably learnt that the new top brass of the ACB, spotted by Herald at the CM’s official bungalow, had gone there with case-related files.
A major development followed two weeks ago when the government reinstated Malvankar. He is incidentally serving in the same department, which is against government’s rule that states that a reinstated employee should serve in a low-profile department.
Parsekar, who is now cornered by the opposition, has denied his interference arguing that Malvankar was not terminated but only suspended. “He was suspended from service, not terminated. The law is equal for all,” he was quoted as saying responding to media questions earlier this week.
Well, the law is clearly not equal. Even if Malvankar is not the CM’s blood relative, it is still thicker than water. At least thick enough to get back to the same position from where he demanded a bribe and was caught with the money.
