Goa land-grabbing case: Fatorda MLA and Goa Forward Party leader Vijai Sardesai has slammed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for failing to deliver on his promises regarding the alleged land-grabbing issue in Goa. Vijai Sardesai, former Deputy CM of Goa, accused Sawant of allowing the one-man commission, appointed to investigate fraudulent land deals, to operate ineffectively. "The commission came, took commission [bribe], and went away," Sardesai stated, underscoring the probe panel's limited mandate to merely identify gaps within the department without any real power to take action.
Vijai Sardesai further criticised the slow progress in legal procedures, pointing out that out of the 93 reported cases of land grabbing, only 22 First Information Reports (FIRs) had been filed. In August 2020, during a televised programme, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the people of Goa that land usurped and sold by 'land sharks' would be returned to their rightful owners by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Nearly four years later, this promise remains largely unfulfilled, prompting severe criticism from opposition leaders.
The one-man commission, led by Justice (retd) VK Jadhav, was appointed in June 2022 to investigate allegations of fraudulent land deals in Goa. The commission's task was to probe fraudulent land deals involving the forgery of archival documents. Despite its formation and subsequent report submission to CM Sawant on November 1, 2023, there has been little progress.
The commission held its first sitting in January 2023, after the crime branch's SIT registered 111 cases of land grabbing involving 93 parcels of land, measuring 1.5 lakh square metres across Goa. However, this comprehensive investigation seems to have been in vain, as concrete actions remain absent.
Sardesai also highlighted the "alarmingly slow pace" of legal action against land grabbers. This sluggish progress raised questions about the effectiveness of both the SIT and the state government's commitment to addressing the issue.
BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral echoed Sardesai's concerns, questioning the necessity of the SIT if court intervention is still required. "If there is a need to go to the court after an SIT investigation, what is the use of the SIT?" Cabral asked, emphasising the inefficacy of the current approach.
The lack of follow-up on the one-man commission's findings and the limited action taken by the SIT reflect poorly on Sawant's administration. The Chief Minister's assurances are beginning to ring hollow as affected landowners and opposition leaders demand tangible results.