TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: Crime Branch sleuths on Wednesday arrested newly appointed Taleigao Panchayat Secretary Peter Martins in connection with the misappropriation of funds of Serula Comunidade.
Martins was arrested in connection with his earlier stint as attorney of Serula Comunidade and seven persons have so far been arrested in this connection.
It may be recalled that the Crime Branch sleuths had earlier arrested Mohammad Hanif Badekhan, Altaf Abdul Khan, Santosh Gajinkar, Kishor Kudnekar, Sanyakta Nagvekar and Sonia Wankhade. There had been allegations that the Serula Comunidade had not maintained records of allotment of comunidade lands and neither did it have records of cash transfers. An interim report to the government had pointed out misappropriation of several crores of rupees.
The audit report had also found that details of allotment of comunidade land was not been maintained while also information of the total number of plots, leased plots and the vacant plots were not available.
It had also hit out at the poor response it received from the Administrator of Comunidades North Goa, as also the managing committee of the comunidade, who did not reply to either of the letters sent by the auditors.
