BASURI DESAI
PANJIM: Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar not only didn’t disclose all his assets and liabilities to the Election Commission of India but also didn’t disclose them to the Goa Lokayukta when he was MLA during the period 2013 to 2015.
Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), that is probing a case of disproportionate assets against Kavlekar, said that the politician has amassed wealth in the form of movable and immovable properties within and outside Goa.
The 14 properties Kavlekar purchased in Kerala in 2010 have not been declared before the Goa Lokayukta, ACB stated. “It was also revealed that Kavlekar has purchased around 14 properties worth crores of rupees in Kerala. He has not even disclosed the details of properties purchased by him in Kerala in his assets and liability statement submitted before the Institute of Goa Lokayukta during the period from 2013 to 2015,” ACB has stated.
During investigation, ACB found out that Kavlekar and his wife Savitri are proprietors or directors or have partnerships in five different firms and it has been alleged that most of the immovable assets in the form of plots, offices, flats held by the duo were acquired through the firms.
ACB said that in order to disguise the wealth, which is disproportionate to their income, Kavlekar and his wife floated firms or companies individually and jointly to channelise the wealth as company investment.
ACB revealed that of the loans of Rs 5.5 crore, that were shown to be obtained by companies owned by Kavlekar and his wife from Mumbai-based companies, there was no explanation of the mode, date of obtaining, date of receiving, means of receiving loans and loan payments made thereof.
ACB has checked Kavlekar’s income and expenditure during the period between January 1, 2007 and April 30, 2013 and found Rs 7,20,27,439 likely savings. During the same period ACB found Kavlekar acquired assets worth Rs 11,98,85,910.
After subtracting the likely savings, ACB found disproportionate assets of Rs 4,78,58,471 which is 59.21 per cent above their known source of income during check period.
“This loan amount of Rs 5,50,00,000 is questionable which in all probability will go to increase the disproportionate asset percentage substantially,” ACB said.
Kavlekar’s alleged disproportionate assets are being probed by ACB after a FIR was registered against him and Savitri under section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(e) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 109 of Indian Penal Code.
