Team Herald
PONDA: Investors of Visionary Urban Cooperative Society on Saturday protested along the roadside with black flags demanding the arrest of society chairman Gracy Vaz and 11 others.
They also demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant conduct an investigation into the matter and ensure the return of their hard-earned money estimated to be Rs 54 crore.
They shouted slogans when vehicles of Chief Minister and Cooperation Minister passed along the Curti road to Sahakar Bhavan for the 67th Cooperative Week celebration at Curti.
They said since government gave permission to the societies to conduct business it is the government’s responsibility to conduct audit of societies from time to time, which did not happen with regards to the Visionary Society having its branches at Loutolim, Majorda, Ramnagari, Nessai and Colva.
They said it is now more than 10 months they have been demanding justice and are helpless as they have lost their hard-earned money. The investors said they came to make the government aware of its responsibility to return back depositors’ money instead of celebrating the “namesake” Cooperative Week. They demanded an appointment with minister Govind Gaude to resolve issue. They demanded that the government suspend ARCS Rajesh Pawar during whose tenure the scam took place. They also demanded that the affairs of all four branches be handed over to a new committee along with proper records.
Cooperation Minister Govind Gaude said the government is looking into matter of Visionary Society.
