Panaji (Goa) Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today served a legal notice on the Chief Secretary of Goa over the move to appoint Babush Monserrate as the Chairman of the new Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority (PDA).
Calling upon the Chief Secretary to desist from even considering the name of Babush Monserrate for the coveted post, Adv. Rodrigues has warned that he would be constrained in public interest to move the Court to uphold morality in public life.
Adv. Rodrigues in his notice has stated that in a very politically motivated and skewed move the Town & Country Planning Board has very high-handedly proposed to the Goa Government a new Planning and Development Authority (PDA) styled as ‘Greater Panaji PDA’ which will include the areas of Taleigao, Bambolim and Kadamba Plateau with the very controversial and awfully tainted Babush Monserrate as Chairman.
Adv. Rodrigues has further stated that this whole exercise is devoid of any public interest but is being done to only reward Babush Monserrate for his support to the current ruling coalition.
In his notice Adv. Rodrigues has drawn the attention of the Chief Secretary that Babush Monserrate in January 2005 was stripped of the Town & Country Planning portfolio by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on the ground that he had committed large scale and rampant illegalities in conversion of land.
Adv. Rodrigues has also stated that due to his controversial Regional Plan 2011 which led to a huge up roar in the Legislative Assembly and public outrage Babush Monserrate in January 2007 was forced to resign as Town & Country Planning Minister.
Pointing out that Babush Monserrate had also committed very serious offences involving moral turpitude, Adv. Rodrigues has drawn the attention of the Chief Secretary to the Panaji Police Station storming case in which the CBI has charge sheeted Babush Monserrate and also the alleged rape case against him which is pending probe before the Crime Branch.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that besides his deep rooted links with the land mafia, Babush Monserrate has huge land banks within the jurisdiction of this new PDA which is being set up.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that in view of his very tainted background Babush Monserrate is not legally competent or fit to be appointed as Chairman of the new PDA and that his appointment would be ultra vires the provisions of law and Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
