Court: File FIR against Santa Cruz panchayat in graft plaint

Panaji: A North Goa court directed that an FIR be registered in a complaint against the Santa Cruz panchayat, alleging corruption, criminal conspiracy, and .

The complainant, Dominic Pereira, alleged that the panchayat employed 20 daily wage labourers for door-to-door collection of garbage. Each worker was to be paid at the rate of Rs 800 per day, amounting to Rs 24,800 per month. However, despite the resolution passed to this effect in Jan 2025, the workers were being paid only Rs 10,000 per month, with the panchayat misappropriating approximately Rs 3 lakh. He alleged that the misappropriation had been going on since Jan, with cumulative misappropriation estimated to be Rs 20.7 lakh.

According to the complaint, the figure merely represents the tip of an iceberg, and a thorough and impartial investigation would reveal more financial irregularities. The complainant further alleged strong indications of forgery in the muster roll maintained by the panchayat, which was fabricated for wrongful gain.

The investigating officer stated that there was no sanction obtained to register an FIR against the officer of govt. “In the present case, some illegal activity is alleged by the complainant, which prima facie discloses the commission of a cognisable offence,” stated sessions judge, North Goa, Merces, Irshad Agha, directing that an FIR be registered.