The Anti Corruption branch (ACB) has only another two weeks to complete the investigation into the cheating case that was registered against then controversial Director of Prosecution Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar.
On March 22nd a Division Bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa comprising of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice R.P. Sondurbaldota gave the ACB six weeks to complete the probe against Shobha Dhumaskar. The Court directions came in view of the fact that though the F.I.R of cheating was registered against Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar on March 24th last year that the ACB under political pressure had been dragging its feet in the investigation. Despite an F.I.R of cheating and corruption being registered against Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar instead of suspending her had in rank contravention of his mantra of Zero tolerance to Corruption high-handedly given her two extensions in service along with a hefty pay hike allegedly to get her to withdraw criminal cases pending against ruling party politicians. The F.I.R was registered against Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar on the directions of the Special Court under the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged corruption and causing loss to the State exchequer. The F.I.R was registered against Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar under Sections 420, 474 of the Indian Penal Code and also Section 13 (1) (d) (i) & (ii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The complaint against Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar pertains to a 76 sq mts flat at ‘Mutual Apartments’, at Panaji leased by her as the Director of Prosecution in a manner showing undue favoritism and causing loss to the State exchequer. Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar allegedly permitted the owners of the flat undue financial advantage at the cost of the State exchequer and had intentionally caused a huge financial loss to the State Exchequer. The then Director of Prosecution Shobha Dhumaskar had taken the flat on a five year lease for an initial rent of Rs 30, 000/- a month with an annual rent hike of 10% every year, despite the PWD stating that rent is revised only every five years. Documents obtained under RTI Act from the Corporation of the City of Panaji, further revealed that the premises taken on lease was a residential flat with no permission given to use the premises for any other purpose. Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar misled the Government that the flat was an office premises. It may be recalled that now retired Director of Prosecution Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar had also in a very controversial legal opinion given on 22nd Feb 2010 opined that the son of Goa’s then IGP Mr. K.D Singh should not be charge sheeted in an accident case and that the case be closed as it would be difficult to prove the case in Court. On 4th December 2009 Mr. Siddharth Singh, the former IGP’s son while driving his father’s official vehicle to a night club at Vasco, crashed the vehicle while also damaging two electricity poles. The repair of that damaged Toyota Innova itself cost the State exchequer Rs 4, 33, 200. Aires Rodrigues T1 - B30, Ribandar Retreat Ribandar - Goa - 403006 Mobile: 9822684372
