The Crime Branch of the Goa Police has stat ed that the Special Investi gating Team (SIT) consti tuted to probe organised land-grabbing cases in the State has registered 28 cases and made 87 arrests so far, including repeat offenders and government servants. According to Rahul Gup ta, SP (Crime), the SIT (Land Grabbing) has, to date, received 24 cases from various police sta tions across Goa, while 28 cases have been registered by the SIT itself. “Presently, the SIT (LG) is investigating 27 cases. Nineteen cases have been chargesheeted and are un der trial, two cases were submitted as ‘A’ abetted summary, one case has been submitted as ‘C’ sum mary, and three FIRs were quashed by the court. As of now, 87 arrests have been made in the above cases, including 11 repeat offend ers and six government servants,” he added. In these cases, a total of 117 properties have been blocked from further trans actions by writing to the concerned civil authorities. “Moreover, we have replied to communications re ceived from the ED regarding information about the predicate offence, following which an investigation into the proceeds of crime has been undertaken by the ED as per the provisions of the Prevention of Money Launder ing Act,” he said. With regard to complaints received from the Comuni dades of Assagao and Anjuna, the senior official said that a total of six complaints were received from the Comu nidade of Assagao. Of these, four complaints are linked to two different FIRs, while two complaints have been transferred to the concerned police stations for further necessary action. “Besides this, two FIRs with respect to property of the AnjunaComunidade, received through the Mapusa Po lice Station, are under investigation with SIT-LG Riban dar. Hence, a total of four FIRs are under investigation with the SIT with respect to Comunidade land of Anjuna and Assagao,” he said. During the investigation into these Comunidade land-grab scam cases, a total of three persons have been arrested by the SIT (LG), and seven properties involved in these cases have been blocked by intimating the con cerned Mamlatdar. The official clarified that Comunidade property records are maintained by the respective Comunidades and the Administrator of Comunidades. After the government survey, the records are also maintained by the Revenue Department. As per the Code of Comunidades, any per son desirous of acquiring Comunidade land must follow the due procedure laid down under the law and approach the committee members of the concerned Comunidade to verify the title of the land. “Hectic efforts are on to trace other absconding accused persons and to expedite in-depth investigation,” the offi cial said
SIT has registered 28 cases of land grab, made 87 arrests: Crime Branch
