The Special Court under the Prevention of Corruption Act will on Feb 28th hear the petition seeking directions to the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) to register an F.I.R. against Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Rajendra Arlekar in the disproportionate assets case. At the last hearing the Court gave the ACB a last opportunity to file its reply.
By a sale deed dated 26th August last year Speaker Rajendra Arlekar purchased from a Delhi based journalist Dharmanand Kamat a 500 sq mt plot at Porvorim on payment of a whopping Rs 72 lakhs and the sale deed does not reveal the mode of payment as to whether the amount paid by Rajendra Arlekar was in cash, cheque or draft. Besides those 72 lakhs Rajendra Arlekar also paid an amount of Rs 2,52,000 towards stamp duty and a further Rs 2,16,280 as registration and processing fees of that Sale deed. In an affidavit filed by Rajendra Arlekar on 9th February 2012 he had shown his income for the year 2010-2011 as Rs 2,76,671 and that of his wife Anagha Deshpande Arlekar who is a school teacher as Rs 5,87,186. The purchase of that plot for 72 lakhs by Rajendra Arlekar is therefore clearly disproportionate to his last known source of income. Rajendra Arlekar on 9th February 2012 in his affidavit before the Goa's Chief Electoral officer had shown his total liabilities by way of loans etc as Rs 30,54,314 and further liabilities by way of Government dues as Rs 2,64,734 but his statement of assets and liabilities filed on 31st July 2013 before the Goa Lokayukta does not show any liabilities. Mr. Arlekar should explain as to how within a short span of just over a year after becoming Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly he was able to clear his huge liabilities of Rs 30,54,314 and also liabilities by way of Government dues of Rs 2,64,734. Rajendra Arlekar in his affidavit on 9th February 2012 had shown his total income for the year 2010-2011 as a mere Rs 2,76,671. This prima facie reveals that Rajendra Arlekar concealed the real income earned by him from his HP petrol pump dealership "Om Shree Vetobaa" at Vasco. It is also surprising as to how the total income of Rajendra Arlekar's wife Anagha Deshpande Arlekar who is a school teacher which was Rs 5,87,186 in 2010-2011 had shot up to Rs 9,32,278 in the year 2012-2013. As ACB officials are acting as caged parrots in shielding Rajendra Arlekar, directions of the Court have been sought that Rajendra Arlekar be booked under Section 13 (1) (d) & (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and Section 120-B of IPC along with Section 34 of IPC. Meanwhile, the ACB will on 3rd March record the statement of Delhi based journalist Dharmanand Kamat from whom Rajendra Arlekar purchased that 500 sq mts plot at Porvorim for 72 lakhs. ACB officials were scheduled to proceed to Delhi but Dharmanand Kamat has volunteered to come down to Goa and assist the investigation. While the Income Tax authorities are carrying on with their probe, the Hindustan Petroleum is examining as to how Rajendra Arlekar continues with the petrol pump dealership illegally after becoming an MLA and Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. Aires Rodrigues T1 - B30, Ribandar Retreat Ribandar - Goa - 403006 Mobile: 9822684372
