IT habitat land fraud: NGO serves legal notice on CS

Panaji, Jan 8 (UNI) A non-governmental organisation today served a legal notice on Goa Chief Secretary J P Singh urging him to issue directions to the police to register an FIR against IT Minister Dayanand Narvekar and directors of Info Tech Corporation in connection with an alleged fraud in the setting up of IT Habitat at Dona Paula.

Utt Goenkara Spokesman Adv Aires Rodrigues stated that if an FIR was not registered within three days, he would file appropriate proceedings in the court, seeking directions in the matter entirely at the risk of the state as to the cost and consequences thereof.

A delegation of Utt Goenkara led by Adv Rodrigues met the acting Chief Secretary Anand Prakash and served him the notice, which further stated that the authorities were avoiding to take action as the main accused, besides being the IT Minister, was also the State Law Minister.

The notice further stated that the complaint filed under section 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and also sections 406 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code pertains to giving away of 1,80,000 sq mt of land by the Info Tech Corporation, headed by Mr Narvekar, at an average rate of Rs 4,500 per sq mt as against the average market price ranging between Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000 per sq mt.

The ministers and others did so for personal benefits at their own whims in a clandestine manner without conducting any auction or issuing any tenders, thus defrauding the public exchequer and the revenues of the Government to the tune of several crores of rupees, the notice said.

The notice demanded that the police register offences against the accused persons, and take action in accordance with the law.

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