Panaji: Goa Crime Branch on Tuesday stated that their investigation into the allegations by cash-for-jobs scam accused Puja Naik has concluded there was no involvement of any politician or government official, contrary to her recent claims.
Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Rahul Gupta told reporters that the investigation into Naik’s allegations—which accused a minister in the Pramod Sawant-led cabinet and two other government officers of being involved in the scam—has been completed.
Naik was booked last year by Goa Police in five separate cases for defrauding gullible youth of crores of rupees by promising government jobs. The accused, currently out on bail, had last month released a video accusing a minister and two government officers of being part of the nexus with her.
Gupta said that the detailed investigation revealed no substance in the claims made by her.
The SP pointed out that Naik had claimed she gave Rs 17 crore to the government officers as part of the scam, while she also earned lakhs of rupees as commission from it.
Gupta said that call records of Naik were examined, which led to the conclusion that she was not in contact with the individuals she named in her complaint.
He added that a financial analysis of her accounts showed that she, along with her husband and daughters, had conducted transactions totaling around Rs 8 crore over the past four to five years.
He confirmed that there is no entry in her bank accounts linking her to any government officer or politician.
Gupta stated that the accused was living a plush lifestyle and had stayed in a starred hotel near Panaji for three months, reportedly to avoid harassment from those from whom she had collected money under the pretext of providing government jobs.
