Assagao Demolition: Rs Ten Crore Hush Money As “Settlement”, Middleman Politician Gets Rs 3 Crore?

PANAJI: In a shocking allegation, a social worker from Sangeum, Mithil Ulhas Naique Dessai, today claimed that Rs 10 crore has exchanged hands in the Assagao demolition case, out of which Rs 6 to Rs 7 crore was paid to the concerned family and Rs 3 crore was paid to a prominent politician who brokered the deal and worked out the formula. Certain cops in the system are also said to have received their share of kickbacks for their ‘support’ in the entire matter.

Even though the Agarwadekar family did a sudden U-turn, the Goa Crime Branch registered a criminal case and started investigations. Goa CM Pramod Sawant on Thursday said the Goa police were looking for the accused bouncers who are on the run and also the other woman accused who is said to be in Mumbai. Goa police teams are searching for them in Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Sawant said the law will take its course and the legal action initiated by the government will not be undone by any ‘settlement’ reached between the individuals as the case rocked the entire state.

The Crime Branch in a late-night development added charges including criminal trespass, assault and rioting as well as outraging the modesty of a woman, making it almost impossible for the accused to get bail easily from the JMFC court.

The CB has also formed a four-member Special Investigation Team and arrested a conspirator from Vasco. A vehicle spotted at the crime scene was also seized.

Sawant’s government has ordered an inquiry led by the State Chief Secretary (CS) and the report is expected soon. In the latest update, the CS has submitted a report and the Anjuna PI Prashal Desai and PSI Nitin Naik have been suspended today.

“As per the formal order received from the government, the Crime branch has taken over the investigation of the ongoing case registered at the Anjuna police station. A 4-member SIT has been formed. Upon taking over investigation and based on initial evidence sections 440, 447, 448, 352, 354, 143 147, 148 read 149, 120B IPC have been added to the case for Criminal Trespass, Assault and Rioting,” the SP told the media. In yet another development on Thursday evening, the Goa unit of the Congress alleged that the family was “forced” into settling the matter, to save the skin of a high ranking police official. The family meanwhile said they have not withdrawn the case, but only want a peaceful resolution as they didn’t want to do the rounds of the courts.

Dessai alleged that a politician family from North Goa was instrumental in brokering the deal between the Agarwadekar family, a builder, a real estate agent and the buyer Pooja Sharma who is said to be Mumbai-based. The money exchanged hands the very next morning after Goa CM met the family at Assagao and declared that very stern action would be taken against all the culprits. Sawant said the Goa police team in Belgaum is closing on the suspects and will arrest them soon. Late night reports on Thursday said two bouncers were arrested by the Crime Branch. This is a developing story, we will update this post as more inputs come in…