Team Herald
MARGAO: A group of concerned citizens from Margao held a press conference on Tuesday, shedding new light on the Rs 18 lakh scam allegedly perpetrated by Yogesh Shetkar, a staff member of the Margao Municipality.
The citizens claimed that Shetkar had not only been involved in fraudulent activities within the Municipality but also started his own finance company. They alleged that Shetkar has political backing, which has shielded him from more serious consequences.
The group demanded that all the stolen money be recovered from the accused, expressing their doubts over the effectiveness of his arrest, which they alleged was “merely for show”. The Rs 18 lakh from the feast fair revenue allegedly misappropriated by Shetkar, has sparked widespread controversy. “Citizens from across Goa have been cheated by Shetkar, and plans are underway to file formal complaints with the authorities,” said Savio Coutinho, a spokesperson for the group.
Coutinho claimed that they had confirmed Shetkar’s involvement in starting a finance company and provided evidence as well.
“We have the copy of a receipt where Shetkar has signed as a director of the finance company. He had launched a finance scheme, and we have found agreement documents with investors, that bear his signature. Despite all these facts being public knowledge, he has been protected,” Coutinho alleged.
He called for a deeper investigation into Shetkar’s finance company, in addition to the ongoing inquiry into the fraud at the Margao Municipality.
Coutinho strongly criticised the police’s account of Shetkar’s arrest, calling it false. “The police version of the arrest is completely untrue,” he stated. He pointed out that the Green Goa Foundation (GGF) had recently raised concerns about the involvement of two other officials in the scam, demanding their arrest as well.
The GGF has warned that if the authorities fail to recover the stolen amount and take further action against the accused, they will seek legal recourse with the High Court.
The case came to light in June, leading to Shetkar’s suspension by the MMC. According to the police, Shetkar was entrusted with Rs 28,70,400 collected from 299 stall owners between May 19 and 25,. The money was intended to be deposited into the Margao Municipal Council’s HDFC Bank account, but Shetkar failed to do so, instead spending the amount for his personal use.