Senior Counsel Saresh Lotlikar was appointed the special public prosecutor to defend the Goa government.
In a complaint filed on February 6, at the Panjim Police Station, Rodrigues alleged that Manohar Parrikar and Nilesh Amonkar committed offences under Sections 420, 406, 409 read with Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy, cheating and causing loss to the Exchequer by fraudulently renting office premises at ‘Spaces’ and ‘Kamat Towers’ at Patto Plaza at an exorbitant annual rent of more than Rs 5.5 crore.
Alleging that the Police had failed to act, Rodrigues moved the court seeking directions to register an FIR against Parrikar and Amonker and to promptly investigate the case, while also seeking that the Court monitor the investigation as the accused are politically well connected.
In his complaint, Rodrigues alleged that Parrikar, by a note moved on November 26, 2012, directed that readymade premises of around 3000 sq mts be hired to accommodate government offices. Surprisingly, on February 25, 2013, an altered and tailor-made advertisement was issued calling for expression of interest for office space of 6000 to 7000 sq mts on hire-purchase basis, for which the only other valid bid, besides Amonker’s, belonged to Prudential Group Real Estate Developers owned by Amonker’s brother-in-law, Gaurang Sinai Suctancar.
Rodrigues further stated that if the premises were not being taken on hire-purchase as advertised, a re-advertisement was required as the government deviated from the original
advertisement.
