Staff Reporter
Panaji
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized over 20 property documents in connection with money laundering investigation into the alleged multi-crore land grab scam.
Officials of ED said a raid was conducted on December 31, 2024 at the houses of two of the accused persons in land grab cases – Estevan D’Souza in Goa Velha and Alcantro D’Souza in Mapusa.
The ED officials said more than 20 property-related documents were seized and they are being scrutinised.
In December last year, ED had taken possession of 19 different land properties in connection with the money laundering investigation against various persons involved in the alleged multi-crore land grab scam. Of the 19 properties in question, 11 are located in Anjuna, while eight are in Assagao.
In November 2023, ED had provisionally attached 31 immovable properties in Goa worth Rs 39.24 crore. Enforcement Directorate had initiated the investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on the basis of various FIRs registered by Goa police against Vikrant Shetty, Mohammed Suhail, Rajkumar Maithi and other accused persons involved in illegal land grabbing in the state.
During the same month, ED had also provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 11.82 crore of Estevan D’Souza, Moses Fernandes and Samir
Korgaonkar.
This was in connection with the money laundering probe related to illegal land grabbing in Goa. The ED had initiated the investigation on the basis of FIRs registered by Porvorim police station and the Economic Offences Cell (EOC) of Goa under various sections of Indian Penal Code regarding illegal grabbing of land/properties by impersonating the original owner of property and cheating the buyers.
Investigation by ED had revealed that various immovable properties were illegally acquired by the accused persons in their names or in the names of their associates/ relatives. The accused persons placed forged documents in the land records for supporting their claim that the immovable properties belonged to their ancestors, ED had said adding that based on these forged documents they were able to get their names updated/inserted in the land records by making succession deeds/inventories.
In April 2024, ED had filed a chargesheet against 36 accused persons before the Special Court, Mapusa and had estimated the value of the ‘proceeds of crime’ at over Rs 535 crore.
