Cash-for-job scam: No new case reported in 2025 yet

Panaji: In the first two months of 2025, not a single person came forward to register a case in the cash-for-job scam that rocked the state last year. Goa police registered 34 first information reports (FIRs) in the alleged scam.

The enforcement directorate (ED) started an investigation in connection with the scam in Goa under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED registered an enforcement case information report (ECIR) to investigate the job scam.

Goa police have ruled out any political link to the scam or its operation by an organised racket. The investigation revealed that people had been cheated with the lure of govt jobs since 2014-15. Ever since the first case was reported in the Mardol police station in Oct 2024, most of the cases were registered against women.

The scam, which spread across half the state’s talukas and saw an average of one case registered every day, first came to light when Old Goa resident Pooja Naik was accused of duping several people across Goa of crores of rupees on the pretext of providing them govt jobs.

Subsequently, Deepashree Gawas, alias Deepashree Prashant Mhato, Priya Yadav, Sunita Shashikant Pawaskar, Shruti Prabhugaonkar, and Uma Patil also saw cases being filed against them.

Soon after Naik was arrested, chief minister Pramod Sawant issued a stern warning to politicians and govt employees that his govt would take strict action if any of them were found to be involved in the jobs scam.

Police said that several individuals accused in the scam duped more than 300 people of crores, with the promise of landing them employment in various govt departments, including public works, water resources, education, transport, revenue, police, and health. Over 21 people were arrested even as the scam spread to six of Goa’s 12 talukas — Bicholim, Bardez, Tiswadi, Ponda, Mormugao, and Canacona.

From police personnel to senior govt officials and from teachers to individuals who claimed to have strong political links, Goa police made arrests in separate incidents. Investigations revealed that the victims were either known to the accused or had relatives hunting for permanent govt jobs for their kin.

Although they believed this would lead to a secure future, they lost their life savings instead.