Special Judge under the Prevention of Corruption B.P Deshpande today for lack of sanction from the government declined to direct the Anti- Corruption Branch to register an F.I.R against Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Rajendra Arlekar in the disproportionate assets case.
Expressing his inability to give directions in the absence of sanction from the government, Judge Deshpande today advised me to move the High Court for appropriate orders. This will promptly be done because corruption by public servants has to be thrashed with an iron hand. By a sale deed dated 26th August last year Speaker Rajendra Arlekar purchased a 500 sq mt plot at Porvorim on a payment of Rs 72 lakhs and that sale deed did 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 before Goa’s Chief Electoral officer 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 was clearly disproportionate to his last known source of income. Rajendra Arlekar in that affidavit 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 did not show any liabilities. So 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 that affidavit on 9th February 2012 had shown his total income for the year 2010-2011 as a mere Rs 2,76,67. This prima facie reveals that Rajendra Arlekar concealed the real income earned by him from his HP petrol pump dealership “Om Shree Vetobaa” located at Vasco. It also needs to be investigated 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. This disproportionate assets case against Speaker Rajendra Arlekar was earlier heard and fixed for judgment by CBI Court Judge PV. Sawaikar but just two days before the judgment which was scheduled on October 17th the Goa Government by an order stripped Judge Sawaikar of his powers to hear matters under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Nobody can be above the law but the ground reality in Goa is that the police just refuse to act if the complaint is filed against any one linked or having links with the BJP. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
