Team Herald
MARGAO: In yet another financial fraud perpetrated by a Goa government employee, a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) at the Deputy Collector's Office in Quepem, allegedly secured loans from multiple financial institutions using forged official documents.
The accused, Viresh Gaonkar, has been booked by the police after an internal inquiry exposed the extent of the misuse of official documents for personal financial gain.
According to the FIR, Gaonkar fraudulently obtained loans by submitting fabricated salary certificates, forged office seals, and falsified specimen signatures—none of which were ever issued by the Deputy Collector’s Office in Quepem.
The fraud came to light when the Branch Manager of Deendayal Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited, Quepem, approached Deputy Collector Manohar Karekar regarding unpaid EMIs on a loan obtained under false pretences. This triggered an internal verification, which confirmed that the documents in question had never been officially issued.
Further investigation revealed that Gaonkar misused these forged documents during the sanctioned leave period of the Deputy Collector, when the official was out of state. Preliminary inquiries indicate that he submitted fraudulent documents to at least three cooperative societies, securing financial benefits amounting to Rs 37 lakh.
Given the severity of the fraud, the matter was immediately escalated to the South Goa Collector, who issued a show-cause notice to Gaonkar and is considering his termination.
Following the complaint, Quepem police registered an FIR against Gaonkar under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, including Section 336(3) for fraudulently obtaining financial advantage, Section 337 – forgery with intent to cheat, Section 340 , for criminal breach of trust by a public servant and Section 318(4) – using forged documents as genuine
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to uncover the full extent of Gaonkar’s fraudulent activities and whether any others were involved.