Panaji (Goa) Shiv Sena Goa has decided to take to the logical end, the issue illegal sale of liquor in Neturlim panchayat. Sena’s spokesman Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik said this in a press conference today:

 

Shiv Sena Goa unit is reacting with the caution to the action of Excise department to cancel licence granted to Ms Asha Gawas who had fraudulently got it in connaivance with the local officers of the department.

 

After Shiv Sena complained to the Excise Commissioner and Vigilance department, the action has been finally taken. But we are not happy with the way things are being led in the name of the inquiry.

 

It should be recalled that Sena had complained against Excise Inspector Prashant Painginkar who had allowed the fraud to happen and despite several complaints had paid blind eye to the illegalities.

 

Now the excise department has asked the same inspector Prashant Paiginkar to conduct the inquiry into the illegalities. We strongly objected to this move as we wanted some independent officer to probe into it. Paiginkar will naturally try to hide his own deeds and shield Ms Asha Gawas and her illegalities.

 

Though prima facie show cause notice has been issued to Gawas giving her the opportunity to explain, the notice itself has exposed the lies of the excise department.

 

It is shocking to see that excise department claims that they were misled by Ms Asha Gawas by seeking licence in her residential premises while the business was happening in the structure some 500 metres away from it.

 

We fail to understand how the licence was granted by Paiginkar without checking the ground realities and whether all this time, Paiginkar who is supposed to curb the sale of illegal liquor in the areas was unaware to this fact.

 

In a bid to hide their misdeeds the department has accused Ms Asha Gawas of showing another premises which is 72 metres away from her residence. But the actual inspection would reveal that another premises is also an illegal structure.

 

It is also pertinent to note that the NOC granted by the panchayat fraudulently is not part of the documents provided to the Excise commissioner by Paiginkar.  The NOC which was given by flouting all the rules also calls for the criminal inquiry.

 

Sena has no faith in the way investigations are conducted as Assistant Excise Commissioner Satyawan Bhivshet who has signed the fraudulently done documents is now heading the inquiry.

 

We demand that Excise Commissioner Amit Satlija should personally conduct the inquiry and throw out the rot from the department.

 

Meanwhile, we also condemn the statements by Naturlim panchayat Sarpanch Rajani Gaonkar and deputy Abhijit Desai who are protecting Ms Asha Gawas. Sena threatens that we will take this issue to the logical conclusion and all those who are protecting the illegalities would be brought to the books.

 

Sarpanch and deputy should resign on the moral ground as they have been caught on wrong foot. We don’t mind even moving disqualification against them as there is enough grounds for that.