Four more booked; key comunidade members, prominent individuals under scanner
MAPUSA
The wheels of justice have begun to turn in the Cunchelim comunidade land scam, with the Mapusa Police registering a case against six individuals and arresting two, including a staff member from the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC).
The alleged scam, which involves the unauthorised sale of comunidade land, has defrauded victims of approximately Rs 39 lakh.
The arrested individuals, Ramesh Rao, an employee of the MMC and Shakil Sheikh, were detained and taken into custody late on Wednesday evening.
According to police sources, key members of the Cunchelim comunidade are among the six accused, and further arrests of prominent individuals are expected as the investigation unfolds.
Unravelling the scam
The unauthorised sale of Cunchelim comunidade land came to light last month during a survey and demarcation exercise conducted by officials from the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records (DSLR).
The survey revealed that land parcels, partly owned by the comunidade and partly acquired by the government, had been fraudulently sold by individuals posing as legitimate land sellers.
Distressed victims soon flocked to the Mapusa Police Station, filing complaints that they had been duped into purchasing these parcels, measuring between 100 and 250 square metres, for amounts ranging from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.
The fraudsters promised legal possession and development clearances, but the transactions were entirely unauthorised.
State action and demolition drive
In response to the scam, the State administration swiftly issued demolition notices earlier this month to 36 unauthorised structures built on the disputed land.
Last week, 31 of these houses were demolished as part of the ongoing crackdown.
On Tuesday, the Administrator of Comunidade, North Goa issued show-cause notices to some more individuals for constructing unauthorised structures on comunidade land in Cunchelim.
Victims seek justice
On Wednesday morning, several victims met with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to plead for justice and urge authorities to take strict action against the culprits.
Later in the day, they lodged formal complaints with the Mapusa Police.
Police in action mode
According to police, the scam appears to have been orchestrated by a well-connected network and investigators expect more arrests to follow.
“Key members of the Cunchelim comunidade have been implicated, and we’re uncovering more evidence as the investigation progresses,” a police source disclosed.
The case has sent shockwaves through Mapusa, highlighting the vulnerability of land buyers to fraudulent practices and the urgent need for stricter regulatory oversight.
As justice takes its course, victims hope that the culprits will be brought to book and their grievances addressed.
