Team Herald
PANJIM: Just days after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa anointed Elvis Gomes as its Chief Ministerial candidate for the 2017 Assembly polls, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) summoned Gomes and former minister Nilkanth Halarnkar on Monday for investigation in the Housing Board land acquisition scam.
A senior ACB officer said that both politicians have been summoned on Monday, whereas former Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza has been summoned on Tuesday.
All three are likely to be candidates for the Assembly polls. D’Souza who is heading the Nationalist Congress Party in Goa is likely to contest from Vasco, whereas, Halarnkar who recently joined Congress may contest from Tivim. Gomes as AAP chief ministerial face is the party candidate from Cuncolim. All three constituencies are currently being held by the BJP.
Halarnkar who was then chairman of Goa Housing Board and Gomes the managing director are accused of converting land by acquiring it and then handing it back to the original owner. The offence occurred between 2007 and 2011 and involves 30,226 square metre of land in Margao.
Reacting to the summons Gomes said, “I have been a responsible government officer during my entire career as a government servant and hence I will respect any decision initiated by any arm of the government. Having said that, it is for the people of Goa to decide if they need to take into account that these ACB summons have been issued to me within 72 hours of me be declared as the CM candidate for AAP. I need not say anything more.”
He added, “Incidentally I have challenged the FIR in the High Court which has ordered that no charge should be filed or action taken without informing the court and taking its clearance.”
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AAP: Govt misusing police
PANJIM: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of using the Police force to threaten vendors who have installed their hoardings comparing their CM candidate Elvis Gomes with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
Speaking to the media, AAP leader Dr Oscar Rebello said the party has reached the hearts of the Goans and so merely removing banners and hoarding won’t work.
“We are angry as well as happy. Happy because the ruling party that questions the existence of AAP in Goa is now threatening our vendors, and angry because the government is misusing the police machinery,” Dr Rebello said.
He added that in Margao similar incidents happened where Margao Municipal Council objected to their hoarding and banners. He said the Goa Forward mentor is controlling the MMC and it is at his behest that the council is working.
Speaking about the induction of two Congressmen in the BJP, Dr Rebello said BJP is increasingly become an older Congress party, where anyone and everyone who has winning chances are entertained.
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BJP files complaint against AAP
for defamatory hoardings
PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has filed complaints against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with Goa Police and the Chief Electoral Officer for defamatory hoardings installed at various locations in which there are photographs of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar comparing him to AAP’s CM candidate Elvis Gomes.
The complaint to the CEO has been made by Party President Vinay Tendulkar whereas a youth leader of the BJP has filed a complaint with Goa Police demanding action for displaying hoardings in a malicious campaign.
The complaint said that some hoardings displayed at various locations are inherently derogatory and insinuating, aimed specifically at maligning the public perception and image of Parsekar.
The content of the hoardings casts aspersions against the honesty of Parsekar, the complaint states.
However, AAP leader Dr Oscar Rebello said there is nothing derogatory in the hoarding.
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