Goa CM urges victims of cash-for-govt jobs scam to lodge complaints; GFP demands SIT probe

PTI, Nov 4, 2024, 4:18 PM IST

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday appealed to people who have been cheated on the promise of government jobs to lodge police complaints and said the culprits won’t be spared.

The opposition Goa Forward Party (GFP), however, demanded that all current recruitments be suspended immediately and a special investigation team be set up to probe the scam.

The Goa police have arrested half a dozen people for their alleged involvement in the cash-for-government jobs scam, recently exposed following a series of cases registered at various police stations in the state.

Talking to reporters here, Sawant asked the victims to come forward without fear and lodge police complaints against the culprits.

“No one would be spared. We have taken the cases very seriously,” the chief minister said.

In a letter to the chief minister on Monday, GFP president and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said he had pointed out the corruption in the selection process of government jobs during the last assembly session.

He said since people have come forward with their complaints, the state government should form a special investigation team (SIT) to probe these recruitment scams without delay.

“The SIT should comprise professionals from outside the Goa administration to ensure an impartial and thorough investigation. The probe team should have unrestricted access to records, documents and personnel necessary to uncover the full extent of this scam,” he wrote.

Sardesai also demanded immediate suspension of all the recruitment processes until the SIT completes its investigation.

He also urged the state government to implement the recommendations issued by the committee that reviewed the 2021 Public Works Department (PWD) recruitment scam.

Last month, the Ponda police arrested a woman named Puja Naik for allegedly cheating people after promising them government jobs. Sawant had said action would be initiated against two government officials for helping her in the job racket.