Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a major development, the Goa government has handed over the investigation of the ₹5 crore Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) fraud case to the Crime Branch. The case, which was being investigated by Porvorim police, involves large-scale misappropriation of Central funds meant for primary education.
Sources confirmed that the Crime Branch has been officially assigned the case, and Porvorim police have been instructed to transfer all related documents and evidence.
The scam came to light following an investigation by The Goan, which revealed that government funds under SSA were illegally diverted from the official bank account. So far, five individuals—all hailing from West Bengal—have been arrested in connection with the case.
According to the police, the accused were involved in acquiring sensitive banking information, SIM cards, and ATM cards of unsuspecting account holders. These details were then passed on to their associates for executing the fraud. In exchange, the accused received monetary compensation at various intervals.
Two of the accused were arrested in May, while three others were apprehended earlier this month. The authorities are currently tracking other suspects believed to be part of the larger network.
The transfer of the case to the Crime Branch signals a more thorough investigation, as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the fraud and identify all those involved.
