Panaji: The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Panaji zonal office has provisionally attached 24 immovable properties located in Calangute, Assagao, Anjuna, Nerul and Parra in Bardez taluka, valued at Rs 193.49 crore (market value), under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the land grab case.
With this, the ED has so far attached a total of 55 properties, valued at Rs 232.73 crore, in connection with the case.
The ED had initiated an investigation on the basis of multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by Goa police (investigated by SIT-land grab) with regard to the fraudulent and illegal acquisition of land in Goa. The FIRs were registered against accused persons involved in forgery, cheating and grabbing of immovable properties.
The 24 immovable properties in Bardez have been attached by ED vide provisional attachment order (PAO) dated April 25, 2025. This is the second provisional attachment in this case. Earlier, ED had attached 31 properties valued at Rs 39.24 crore in 2023, which was confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority (PMLA), New Delhi, vide order dated April 15, 2024.
The probe by ED into the land grab case has revealed that the fraudsters created forged documents/deeds in the names of deceased individuals or ancestors and by using the forged documents as genuine, they fraudulently inserted their names or the names of associates into the land records maintained by the Government of Goa.
Subsequently, these illegally acquired properties were either sold to third parties, generating proceeds of crime, or transferred to associates through sham sale deeds without actual payment of consideration.
The 24 attached properties in the current PAO include properties sold to third parties, properties transferred to associates via sham deeds and other properties.
A prosecution complaint was filed on April 12, 2024 before the Special Court (PMLA), Mapusa, which has taken cognisance of the same. Further investigation is under progress.
