Team Herald
MAPUSA: The Commission of Inquiry into the land grabbing cases Retired Justice of Bombay High Court V K Jadhav along with Crime Branch officials including SP Nidhin Valsan, DySP Santosh Desai, PIs and PSIs from Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the land grabbing on Monday, visited the Bardez taluka and inspected nine properties in Bardez taluka in North Goa.
Official sources informed that hearing in the land grabbing cases will commence from Monday January 23.
The team initially inspected three plots at Badem, Assagao, followed by properties in Calangute and Anjuna.
During the inspection, the commission of inquiry took report of types of properties, its details and also the area surrounding the targeted plots. Some plots were found with structures (vacant old Goan Houses).
The inspection revealed that at Arradi in Calangute, there were four plots which are part of the land grab scam. However, of the four, two properties were unidentified since there were no complaints of land grabbing. In such cases, the officials said that complaints will be registered by the investigating officer on behalf of the State.
The inspection at most sites revealed the involvement of mastermind Mohammad Suhail, who has been arrested so far in six cases. His driver Steven is involved in one such alleged property scam.
Justice Jadhav has emphasised that only cases of land grabbing will be entertained and the ones which do not construe any such offence will be dismissed.
The State government on August 30, 2022 had constituted a Commission of Inquiry under retired High Court Judge V K Jadhav to conduct a detailed inquiry into the alleged land grabbing cases and fix responsibilities against government servants and other public functionaries involved in the scam. The Commission of Inquiry has to submit report to the government with recommendations within four months from the date of its first seating.
