Rohan Harmalkar, once an ambitious political aspirant from Old Goa, now finds himself at the center of a massive Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation.
In an alleged ₹1,600 crore land scam, Harmalkar’s downfall has become a sensational talking point not just in Goa, but internationally.
In a dramatic raid, ED officials uncovered extensive land dealings linked to Harmalkar amounting to ₹1,600 crore. Documents showing ownership of properties worth an additional ₹600 crore were also seized.
This shocking revelation exposed the true scale of Harmalkar's assets, vastly exceeding the ₹12 crore he declared in his affidavit to the Election Commission during the 2022 elections
Rohan Harmalkar’s political ambitions were no secret. He had his sights set on becoming an MLA, believing he could leverage his wealth to secure votes. In the 2022 Goa Assembly Elections, he contested independently from the Kumbharjuve constituency after initially aiming for a BJP ticket.
Later, Harmalkar joined the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) to strengthen his political journey. However, the ED’s revelations have now cast a long shadow over his aspirations, with experts suggesting that his political career has likely ended before it truly began.
According to ED officials, Harmalkar’s case dwarfs previous arrests in the Goa land grabbing scandal. Accused individuals like Vikrant Shetty, Mohammed Suhail, and Suleman Khan had comparatively smaller operations. Interestingly, while Goa Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) had earlier nabbed others involved, Harmalkar had seemingly evaded scrutiny raising serious questions and public debate about how he escaped earlier detection.
The ED now labels Harmalkar as "the biggest scammer" in the ongoing probe.
Adding to his troubles, Harmalkar’s criminal background is also resurfacing. On November 25, 2024, he was arrested by Anjuna Police for allegedly threatening a man with death, alongside accomplice Durgadas Morajkar. The duo, accompanied by about a dozen others, reportedly assaulted Surendra Bharat Singh Kumar in Arpora, threatening him to leave Goa or face dire consequences.