MARGAO: Mystery still shrouds the sensational income tax raid on the St Xavier’s Church, Velim, and the then Parish Priest Fr Romano Gonsalves, with neither the election officials nor the district authorities throwing any light on the February 7, 2012 raid in the run up to the 2012 Assembly polls.
Nearly two years down the line and questions still remain unanswered as to who had ordered the raid and the motive behind carrying out a search of the Church and the Parish Priest. While the election flying squad had claimed that the raid was carried out at the behest of the Income Tax department, a claim which was later firmly denied by the IT officials.
Fr Romano had claimed that the officials had carried out a search of the Church for two long hours, seeking to know details about the money he had in his possession and with the Church. The IT raid had kicked up a storm in the state with the raid on the place of worship receiving wide spread condemnation from many quarters.
