In what could further brew trouble for former Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar in the illegal Serula Communidade land grab case, the State government appointed inquiry officer has informed District Court that the land allotment to the then Minister was not in accordance with the code of Communidade.
The Inquiry Officer former Joint Secretary Home Srinet Kotwale in his deposition before the North Goa Principal District and Session Judge Irshad Agha, has said that the allotment of the 599 sq mts of Serula Comunidade land on Chogm Road at Porvorim to Parulekar was not in accordance with the Code of Comunidades.
Kotwale was appointed as inquiry officer by the Government to probe various irregularities pertaining to the Serula Comunidade illegal land grab case, wherein Former tourism Minister along with his brother and nine others are been booked for illegalities and irregularities.
The Court has adjourned the matter for further argument on May 8. Social activist Adv Aires Rodrigues is the petitioner in the case.
Kotwale pointed out that Comunidade land can be granted only by auction except to the exceptions provided under Article 334-A of the Code.
He said that Parulekar does not fall within the exceptions provided under article 334-A and that grant of land without auction and following the due process of law would be an act of nepotism and in violation of the Code of Comunidade.
Further stating that when the land was granted in 2012 Parulekar was a Minister and the then Administrator of Bardez Communidade Irene Sequeira was his Officer on Special duty, Kotwale also told the Court that the High Court had set aside the 2012 order of the Administrative Tribunal regularizing the 599 sq mtrs.
January 2014, the Porvorim PS registered an FIR against Parulekar, his brother Pramod alias Dabolkar, former attorney of the Serula Comunidade Peter Martins, former administrator of the Comunidades (North Zone, Mapusa) Irene Sequeira and others. The FIR was registered based on the directions of the JMFC, Mapusa and subsequently transferred the probe to CB in April 2014.
The District court had in December last year rejected the plea of the Crime Branch to close the case against Parulekar and had noted that it was not satisfied with the investigation conducted under Section 190 (1) (a) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Team TNV
