Panaji, Sep 6 Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said not a single minister of his Cabinet is involved in the land scam, adding he is ready to conduct a transparent inquiry if the Congress gives the documents to SIT.
Former All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Girish Chodankar on Saturday had claimed that a Cabinet minister in the BJP-led government in Goa is involved in land grabbing and had dared Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to probe the particular case and find out which of his minister is a 'mastermind' behind the illegal practice.
"Unnecessarily, he is levelling allegations on our ministers, instead he should give a case to SIT. Not a single minister is involved in the land scam. Newspapers should verify the facts before publishing," Sawant said.
"Why he (Chodankar) is showing the case papers (complaint to media), he should give it to SIT. Not a single minister is involved in the scam. Girish Chodankar is showing affidavits to the media, he should give it to SIT. I have trust in my ministers and I am ready to conduct a transparent inquiry," Sawant said.
Sawant also said that newspapers should not highlight such "unwanted things".
"I have trust in my ministers. No one (Minister) is involved in land scams. I will tell SIT to investigate if Chodankar gives those papers to SIT," he said.
According to Congress leader Girish Chodakar, a police complaint in this regard was lodged at the Porvorim police station on July 20 by a person named Sales Francisco Fernades, who holds the power of attorney of the said land.
"A complaint was also filed with the vigilance department and the panchayat, but none probed the matter, nor the case was handed over to the SIT," Chodankar had said.
The SIT headed by SP (Crime Branch) Nidhin Valsan was formed in July 2022 to look into complaints with regard to illegal land grabbing and conversion.
Chodankar had said that if the government fails to act on the complaint filed by Fernades, he will be forced to open another case of land grabbing, in which the same minister is allegedly involved.
"The silence of Sawant in this regard is a clear indication that he wants to allow his own 'land-grabber' minister go scot-free," Chodankar had said.
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