Pernem talathi raided for disproportionate assets
PTI, PANAJI | 14 June 2012 22:05 IST
Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Goa Vigilance Department today carried out searches at the office, residence and ancestral home of Vitthal Bhikaji Sawant, a talathi (revenue clerk) who worked at Pernem office.
A case under Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against him for disproportionate assets.
Searches were conducted in Mandrem and Morjim villages.
Superintendent of Police Bosco George told reporters that the officer's assets were 224 per cent higher then his net income which was around Rs 2 lakh per annum.
ACB seized cash of Rs 1.2 lakh from Sawant's plush bungalow at Morjim, valued at Rs 20 lakh.
George said the ACB teams examined 11 saving bank accounts, 19 fixed deposits at various banks, insurance policies and other assets amounting to more than Rs 10 lakh.
Some official files were also found at his residence.
George said that the accused could not be arrested as he fell ill and got admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital.
Seems like this Talathi has suffered from the same Medical ailment as most other corrupt.
I am sure he is not the only Talathi,that has indulged in corrupt pratices.
Lets us hope others, such as Sarpanches, Panches, Collectors, Mamlatdars and those in the RTO, BDO & TCP will also be apprehended in due course.
These are some of the most Corrupt Government Departments and by all accounts have earned incomes dis-proportinate to their known sources of incomes.
Speak to any Goan, and they will all confirm that bribes have been paid to one of these departments at some time or another.
Even with the BJP & its Zero Tolerance policies, the practice is still prevalent.
Until new administrative systems and "time scales" & "Fees" are in place,this corruption will persist for the near future.Computerisation & on-line checks & billing of certain tasks will surely be beneficial.
Being sent from pillar to post,and deliberate delaying of paperwork, has been the culture of some of these Departments to entice & extort bribes.
Political interference is another scourge of Common Man.
The Corrupt & The Mighty Take Heed
Congrajulations to ACB team but job is only half done,get a conviction.