Land grab case: Court asks ex-Goa minister to appear on Jun 17

A court in Panaji today directed former Goa tourism minister Dilip Parulekar and two others to appear before it on June 17 in connection with a land grab and cheating case filed against them.
Social activist Aires Rodrigues had filed a case against Parulekar and two other government officials accusing them of being involved in land grab near Panaji.
North Goa Principal District and Sessions Judge Irshad Agha today directed Parulekar, Peter Martins, the then attorney of Comunidade of Serula, and Irene Sequeira, the then administrator of Comunidade of Bardez, to appear before the court.
Comunidade is a Portuguese era community institution, which has land holdings across the state.

The three accused have been directed to appear before the court on June 17 to face trial for the offences under sections 119, 120, 420 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13(1)(c) and (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The crime branch, which was investigating the case, had filed a reply in the court last year seeking to close the case against the trio.

In December last year, the court, while rejecting the plea of the crime branch to close the case, had noted that it was not satisfied with the investigation conducted by the crime branch under Section 190 (1) (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Strongly opposing the move to close the case, Rodrigues had then submitted to the court that the crime branch, in an attempt to shield Parulekar, had derailed and vitiated the investigation by falsely and malafidely portraying to the court that he (Parulekar) was a victim, who was misled by the Comunidade officials to grab the land.
Rodrigues also drew the court's attention that the crime branch had repeatedly informed the court that the probe was almost complete and that only sanction from the government was awaited to prosecute the accused.
In his complaint, Rodrigues had drawn the court's attention that the 599 sq mt of prime land on the Chogm Road at Porvorim near Panaji was given away to Parulekar without any auction and without following the procedure laid down under the Code of Comunidade.

The social activist had also alleged that the Comunidade of Serula had granted the land to Parulekar for just Rs 3,41,320 although it was worth over Rs one crore.