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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested two persons--Vikrant Shetty and Rajkumar Maithi--under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in connection with alleged land-grabbing cases in Goa.
The central agency arrested the accused on Thursday and they were produced before a PMLA court, which remanded them in ED custody till February 20. The central agency initiated an investigation on multiple FIRs registered by Goa Police against Vikrant Shetty, Mohammed Suhail, Rajkumar Maithi and other persons, who are allegedly involved in illegally grabbing immovable properties across Goa. Subsequently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Goa Police was formed by the state government to investigate the matter. ED investigation revealed that various immovable properties were illegally acquired by the accused persons in their names or those of their associates or relatives. The accused, according to the ED, placed forged documents in the land records to support their claim that the immovable properties belonged to their ancestors. Based on these forged documents, they were able to get their names updated or inserted in the land records, the central agency stated, adding that some of these properties were further sold by the accused persons to buyers from Goa and other states. A Provisional Attachment order in this matter had been issued earlier for attaching 31 properties worth Rs 39.24 crore. Both the aforesaid persons--Vikrant Shetty and Rajkumar Maithi, along with other associates and accused persons were instrumental in the alleged forging/fudging of the land records and consequent illegal grabbing of vast extents of land all over Goa. Further investigation in the matter is underway. (ANI)
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