NT Reporter | Panaji
The crime branch of the Goa police has doubted the ‘genuineness’ in the allegations made by one of the key accused in the cash-for-job scam Pooja Naik, who has claimed that two senior government servants are involved in the scam.
Naik had told the police that the money was handed over to the government officials at a flat in the PDA colony in North Goa. However, the claims could not be corroborated.
Crime branch SP Rahul Gupta clarified that they are not giving a clean chit to anyone.
“We are examining all the things that she (Naik) has said,” Gupta said at a press briefing at the crime branch office in Ribandar.
Contrary to the claims made by Naik earlier, the senior police official said the key accused has not made accusations against any politician, and that there is nothing on record against government functionaries.
The allegations over the money obtained by the accused from hundreds of people for securing government jobs are being enquired into, Gupta said.
The SP said that one of the allegations was that the transactions had taken place in a flat in the PDA colony.
“We have enquired with the flat owner, who produced records claiming that only hotel management students have lived in the flat since 2019,” Gupta claimed.
The crime branch is carefully scrutinising every aspect of the allegations which cannot be taken at face value, he said, adding that the crime branch is conducting the enquiry under Section 173(3) of BNSS into the charges.
“A few of her allegations prima facie are not corroborating with other available records. Hence, they need to be thoroughly examined,” the senior police official said.
On November 9, a video went viral on social media on the scam in which Naik claimed to have paid Rs 17.68 crore to the two officials between 2019-2022 for securing government jobs.
“She was accused in five cases in Goa and was released on bail on November 21, 2024. Earlier, there was nothing on record about any government functionary,” Gupta said.
The crime branch had summoned Naik twice and recorded detailed statements.
“The crime branch is examining the contents of recorded statements and will accordingly decide the future course of action to be taken in the matter,” the SP said.
