PANJIM: Ghanshayam Malvankar was virtually unheard of in the corridors of power in Goa. Now his name reverberates from virtually every nook in the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) and the Chief Minister’s office. From being in the depths of ignominy after being arrested for taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh to alloting a GIDC plot, he is an officer with a “special status” where he cannot be touched. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s brother-in-law is being treated like GIDC’s son-in-law.
GIDC has not even started any inquiry against Malvankar. This was revealed to Herald on Monday by GIDC Managing Director Umesh Joshi who said the corporation has not initiated any departmental or disciplinary inquiry in the bribery case. He said ACB is inquiring in the matter and the decision to reinstate Malvankar was taken by the review committee headed by the Industries Secretary.
Malvankar was arrested by ACB in August 2015 and reinstated in May 2016. Currently he has been posted as a field officer at the GIDC head office in Panjim.
GIDC Chief General Manager Prakash Gurav refuted charges made by complainant Sanjay Jalandhara that his company paid Rs 5 lakh to various GIDC officers since 2012 to take possession of the industrial plot at Tuem. Gurav said he is not aware of any such allegation made by Jalandhara in his petition to PMO.
However, he admitted they have received a letter from the PMO, on a petition of Jalandhara, about his plots not being allotted. He confirmed that the allotment would be made shortly. The matter was discussed at the corporation’s board meeting on Monday, he added.
GISDC blamed the company, owned by the Jalandhara, for the delay in getting the land allotted to them. “Once the plot is allotted, the applicant has to take possession within 90 days. In this case, he asked for extra time that is why there is a delay,” said, Gurav.
He rubbished allegations that GIDC has been delaying the process to allot the plot but admitted that the required infrastructure for the specific piece of land allotted to Jalandhara has not been completed. “We build the infrastructure depending on the availability of funds. We will do it as and when we get funds,” he said.
Gurav added, “It is he who has dilly-dallied the entire process. Sometimes industrialists are not ready with the project or they don’t have a satisfactory project, then they take time to take possession of the land.”
Jalandhara, a native of Rajasthan, who helped ACB to trap Malavankar said that GIDC was harassing him by purposely delaying handing over the plot. “The plots are allotted on as and when basis. There is no specific reason why there is a delay,” Gurav said.
