PANJIM: The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Panjim, has issued notices to the North Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) and the Panjim Police Inspector (PI) regarding registration of an FIR in connection with the alleged sopo collection scam involving the Commissioner of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), Clen Madeira, and the former CCP Mayor and councillor, Uday Madkaikar. This was in response to a complaint filed by political analyst Trajano D’Mello.
D’Mello’s petition before the JMFC, Panjim, seeks directions to the Panjim police to register an FIR against the CCP Commissioner and the former CCP Mayor and councillor Madkaikar regarding the alleged sopo collection scam. Furthermore, the petition calls for an independent, impartial, and thorough investigation into the allegations raised in D’Mello’s complaints.
In addition, D’Mello has requested the Court to oversee the investigation and instruct the police to regularly provide progress reports on the case.
D’Mello had previously lodged two complaints on May 29, 2023, and July 1, 2023, at the Panjim police station, urging the registration of an FIR related to the sopo collection scam within the CCP. He also called for action against corrupt and illegal practices linked to sopo collection in the capital city over the past few years.
According to D’Mello, his complaints were prompted by public statements made by Madkaikar and the Commissioner, which exposed the alleged sopo collection scam in the Panjim market. These statements indicated that CCP funds had been misappropriated for personal gain, and both individuals were accused of abusing their positions within the CCP.
While the Commissioner claimed that such illegal and corrupt activities had been ongoing for the past 10-15 years, Madkaikar stated that he possessed evidence, including video recordings, demonstrating sopo collection in the Panjim market without issuing any receipts.
The matter is scheduled for the next hearing on October 19.
