BJP demands criminal probe into SEZ land allotments

TNN, Nov 30, 2010,

PANAJI: Following the recent order by the high court of Bombay at Goa that the Goa Industrial Development Corporation's (GIDC) land allotments for special economic zones (SEZ) in the state were illegal, the BJP on Monday demanded a criminal investigation into the entire allocation process and action against the guilty.

Besides, the public accounts committee (PAC) headed by Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar will scrutinize the report of the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) dated March 31, 2008 - which has referred to the land allotments - and submit its findings to the Goa legislative assembly which will convene in March 2011 or earlier. The PAC will begin scrutiny on December 15 and has declared that its report will "come out with exact names" and some recommendations.

Announcing this at a joint press statement, BJP state president Laximikant Parsenkar and Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar waved documents obtained under the RTI which they said proved that then-industries minister Luizinho Faleiro had directed the GIDC to allot land to Meditab Specialities at Keri and that then-chief minister Pratapsingh Rane had endorsed the move.

"It is not enough to say that the high court has scrapped land allotments and that we have got our land back. It was a criminal conspiracy involving over 100 crore. The guilty must be exposed and justice dealt to them," Parsekar said.

Parsekar took aim at Pratapsingh Rane, Luizinho Faleiro and GIDC chairman and Quepem MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar for going ahead with the land allotment process even as Parrikar said, "The GIDC is primarily responsible. But it wouldn't have had the courage to allot such large plots of land without directions from the government."

The Opposition leader said that the CAG report is currently with the PAC. "The PAC is the highest authority in the Parliamentary system to look into frauds. After the report comes out, our case will be stronger. If the government does not accept and act on the PAC's report, the BJP will pursue the matter strongly," Parrikar said.

He emphasized that the PAC comprises legislators from both the BJP as well as the Congress and said that the report will not be prejudiced.

"My job is to nail the culprits and take things to their logical conclusion. I promise you a very clear report which will be presented to the House in March 2011. The report could be ready by January itself," Parrikar said.

At least in the case of land allotment to Meditab Specialities at Keri, the BJP leaders claimed they had documentary proof. "Documents obtained under the Right to Infomation (RTI) Act show that the industries minister (Faleiro) directed the GIDC under section 16 of the GIDC Act to allot land to Meditab. This was endorsed by the chief minister (Rane), who marked it directly to the GIDC's managing director instead of to the industries secretary. Who is guilty will come out when we go into the files in detail."

Parrikar said that the PAC is a statutory body which can summon a minister or a chief minister to depose before it under oath. The PAC, based on its findings, can make various recommendations including the demand for a CBI inquiry, he said.