Team Herald
PONDA: A pretending government servant Pooja Naik and her alleged accomplices, a constable and headmistress have been found involved in duping gullible job aspirants and collected lakhs of rupees from them to provide government jobs.
The incident came to light when the police first arrested Pooja Naik, the main queen-pin of the job racket, who spilled the names of other accomplices.
The Ponda Police later arrested Sagar Naik, a constable for allegedly cheating an Usgao-based woman to the tune of Rs 15 lakh. The constable was a deserter, according to the police.
Two other women co-accused, Sunita Shashikant Pawaskar, 56,from Tivrem-Orgao was arrested. She is learnt to be a headmistress.
Meanwhile, Deepshree Sawant Gawas from Marcel, suspected to be the mastermind behind the job scam is on the run. The police have issued a look out notice for her.
Meanwhile, Pawaskar was released on a conditional bail by a Ponda court.
The offence against the trio was registered on September 30 and Sagar Naik was arrested on Sunday, almost 27 days after registering a case against him and two other women. The three accused had promised the victim a teacher’s job in a high school. As they failed to give her a job, the woman lodged a police complaint.
The incident took place between October 2022 and June 2024, the police said adding that a case has been registered under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
The Mardol Police had arrested Pooja on the charge of cheating a member of a Curti family to the tune of Rs 15 lakh on the pretext of providing a government job.
Her co-accused Ajit Satarkar was earlier released on bail with same conditions.
The Bicholim police later took the custody of Pooja Naik and Ajit Satarkar as a case is also lodged against them. On Tuesday, Pooja Naik was granted bail by the JMFC court on a bond and surety of Rs 20,000
The police investigations have revealed that Pooja owned five high-end cars, four apartments, and has made eight to 10 foreign trips. The Mardol police had so far attached five cars, but none of the flats were seized by them as investigation was in progress.
One flat was registered on her husband’s name while two others booked by her were still in possession of the builder, who is yet to transfer it on her name.
Many ‘Pooja Naiks’ continue to dupe gullible youth in Goa
Collect lakhs of rupees from unemployed youngsters with the promise to provide govt jobs
Team Herald
PANJIM: The arrested- and now bailed out- job promising queen of Goa, Pooja Naik, who duped hundreds and bought luxury cars and jetted around the world, may not be the only reigning monarch of the corrupt job promising business in Goa
Activists say it is not the first case of its kind and such instances are increasing, with the police having registered several cases against persons for cheating unemployed educated youth with the promise of providing government jobs.
Trade Union leader Christopher Fonseca said that it was unfortunate that because of rampant unemployment, job seekers are falling prey to cheaters.
“The unemployed youth are prepared to pawn their hard-earned resources which may belong to their parents and near and dear ones. Today Goa is ranked highest in indebtedness in the country and the EMI from every worker is also the highest. Everybody, be it teacher, officer, etc are borrowing loans either to buy a home, land or a vehicle. And they are desperate for steady jobs. People in the authority are taking advantage. Pooja Naik is a small fry and the big sharks are still at large and they may be highly connected people,” Fonseca said.
Mormugao-based human rights activist Swati Kerkar said, “The involvement of influential persons in the job scam cannot be ruled out because in the past Pooja Naik has provided jobs. The gullible youth and their parents are approaching the people close to politicians and they are duped. The police should go to the root of it because somebody was protecting Pooja. The police will also be pressurised to go slow as constables are also involved in job racket. We have heard about lakhs of rupees being demanded for PSI and RTO posts”
Political commentator Trajano D’Mello said, “The arrest of Pooja Naik is tip of the iceberg. There are racketeers promising government jobs to youth, by pretending to be close to power that be. Fatorda MLA (Vijai Sardesai) was recently on record to say that money was being demanded for jobs in the Revenue Department.
Similarly in 2021 the then MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate was on record that money was demanded for jobs in PWD and the recruitment was kept on hold. In such circumstances a committee of senior investigating officers headed by a retired judge should be formed"
Former Goa Government Employees Association (GGEA) president John Nazareth said, “There will be many Pooja Naiks duping job aspirants and they cannot do it without the support from those in power. These cheaters are deeply connected and the gullible youth also know that these people are politically connected and that is why they paid their hard earned to them and get duped. The government jobs should be on merit.”