The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Panjim Zonal Of fice, has provisionally attached 19 immovable properties measuring over five lakh square metres in prime locations across Goa — in cluding Anjuna, Assagao, and Ucas saim — valued at approximately Rs 1,268.63 crore. The attachment was carried out on November 27 under the provisions of the Pre vention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. According to the ED, the properties were illegally acquired by a group led by Shivshankar Mayekar, allegedly using fab ricated and forged land title documents. These included falsified Aframento or Allotment Certificates, Certificates of Final Possession, Auto de Demarcação (Certificates of Demarcation), historical deeds of sale, gift deeds and other fraudulent records.
This action follows earlier search operations conduct ed on September 9, 2025, and October 10, 2025, during which the ED seized and froze bank accounts and valuable assets amounting to Rs 12.85 crore. The investigation was initiated based on an FIR registered by the Goa Police against Yeshwant Sawant and oth ers under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for defrauding the Comunidade of Anjuna. The case pertains to land situated at Survey No 496/1-A in Anjuna. The accused allegedly secured fraudulent mutation of the land by submitting forged documents to the authorities and subsequently sold portions of the property to third par ties, generating additional proceeds of crime (POC). The ED’s investigation revealed that Shivshankar Mayekar was the key conspirator, having illegally acquired multiple land parcels in Goa in the names of his friends and relatives. He was arrested on October 1, 2025, and remains in judicial custody. Further inquiry uncovered that four additional FIRs have been registered against the ac cused persons for illegal land acquisitions in Anjuna and Assagao. Investigators have also identified several more land parcels suspected to have been obtained through similar fraudulent methods. Information regarding these properties is being shared with the relevant law enforcement agencies under the PM LA’s information-sharing mechanism. According to the ED, the inquiry has exposed a system atic modus operandi adopted by the group led by Mayekar. The accused allegedly identified vulnerable land parcels, fabricated title documents such as fake sale deeds, forged gift deeds, and counterfeit certificates purportedly issued by the Comunidade and the Administrator of Comuni dades, and used these documents to fraudulently mu tate properties in the names of chosen frontmen. These properties were later sold to generate further proceeds of crime. The ED stated that further investigation is underway.
