A complaint was filed on Monday with Goa Lokayukta against former Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar over alleged irregulaties over land acquisition to the tune of ₹70 crore.
Mr. Shirodkar resigned as Congress MLA and joined BJP along with another MLA Dayanand Sopte last week upon which the issue of his land acquisition surfaced in public domain.
Besides Mr. Shirodkar, complainant — activist-advocate Aires Rodrigues — has named Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the Chief Secretary of Goa as respondents.
Goa Lokayukta Justice P.K.Misra on Monday issued notice to the Chief Secretary seeking a report from him while also directing him to place the entire records of the said land acquisition and has fixed the matter for hearing on November 14.
Mr. Rodrigues in his complaint has alleged that Mr. Shirodkar has “benefitted from a massive land scam in collusion with the Goa government’s gross act of maladministration.”
Pointing out that in a “blatant illegality” the Goa Government has acquired 1,83,524 sq.m. of orchard land in Shiroda in South Goa from Mr. Shirodkar for a whopping ₹70 crore, Mr. Rodrigues has stated that “this deal was to deceptively reward Mr. Shirodkar for politically flirting with the BJP.”
The complaint has stated that Vedanta Real Estate Developers owned by Mr. Shirodkar and his three brothers Amit, Umesh and Sattesh had purchased that land on October 19, 2006 for a mere ₹45/sq m, which the government has now acquired for a price of ₹3,500/ sq m.
Mr. Rodrigues, in his complaint, also claimed that another land owner had by a letter dated April 5, 2018 addressed to the Chief Secretary had offered the government 1,40,650 sq.m. of his land in Shiroda for a mere ₹350/sq.m. and that a copy of that letter had been also sent to the then Cabinet Advisory Committee comprising ministers Sudin Dhavalikar, Francis D’Souza and Vijai Sardesai.
Stating that any land acquisition by the Government is always for a particular purpose, the complaint claimed Mr.Shirodkar’s land was acquired by the State Industries department without having any plan in place for what purpose the acquired land would be used.
Mr. Rodrigues also said the government has not taken any action till even even though he raised the issue with the Chief Secretary on May 29.