Panaji: Adv. Aires Rodrigues has urged the Chief Secretary of Goa to ensure that a Judicial probe is conducted by a retired High Court Judge into this multi-crore land scam involving Shiroda Congress MLA Subhash Shirodkar.
In his letter to the Chief Secretary today, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that it was very appalling to note that in a very blatant illegality the Goa Government is acquiring 1,83, 524 sq mts of orchard land in Shiroda from Subhash Shirodkar at a very exorbitant price of a whopping 70 crores.
Seeking the Chief Secretary’s intervention, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that it would prove the bonafides of this government which has been swearing by Zero Tolerance to Corruption and Good Governance.
Pointing out that this whole unholy and unlawful deal apparently with the blessings and connivance of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is to deceptively reward Subhash Shirodkar for politically flirting with the BJP, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that such devious politriks cannot be at the cost of the State exchequer.
Drawing the Chief Secretary’s attention that Vedanta Real Estate Developers owned by Subhash Shirodkar and his three brothers Amit, Umesh and Sattesh had purchased this land on 19th October 2006 for a mere Rs 45 rupees a square meter, Adv. Rodrigues in his letter has stated that the audacity of the government is questionable in now acquiring the same land for a very hefty price of Rs 3,500 per sq meter.
Stating that any land acquisition by the Government is always for a particular purpose, Adv. Rodrigues in his letter has further stated that surprisingly this land is being acquired by the Industries department without having any plan in place for what purpose the acquired land would be used.
Adv. Rodrigues in his letter has also stated that another land owner had by a letter dated 5th April 2018 addressed to the Chief Secretary offered the government 1, 40,650 sq mts of his land in Shiroda Taluka for a mere Rs 350 a sq mt and that copy of that letter had been also sent to the Cabinet Advisory Committee comprising of Ministers Sudin Dhavalikar, Francis D’Souza and Vijai Sardesai.
Stating that in a recent case that has come to light a Canacona based Dr Venkatesh’s bills had been kept pending for years, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that it was an irony that 70 crores from the State exchequer is sought to be hurriedly and fraudulently doled out to Subhash Shirodkar out of sheer political expediency.
Stating that Goa has been witness as to how the Vigilance Department and Anti Corruption Branch have been shielding ruling party politicians, Adv. Rodrigues in his letter has told the Chief Secretary that it was very imperative that a Judicial probe be conducted into this mind boggling land scam as any inquiry by a Government authority would be fruitless in view that this land scam has the tacit support of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
