Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached 19 immovable properties measuring over 5 lakh sq. m in premium locations such as Anjuna, Assagao and Ucassaim, valued at approximately ₹1,268.63 crore, in a major money-laundering action carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The attachments were made on November 27.
According to the ED’s Panaji Zonal Office, the properties were allegedly acquired illegally by a group led by Shivshankar Mayekar using forged and fabricated land documents, including fake Aforamento Certificates, allotment records, demarcation certificates, historical sale deeds, and other falsified ownership papers.
This development follows earlier search operations on September 9 and October 10, during which the agency had seized and frozen assets and bank accounts worth ₹12.85 crore.
The probe originated from a Goa Police FIR against Yeshwant Sawant and others for allegedly defrauding the Anjuna Communidade by fraudulently mutating land at Survey No. 496/1-A using forged documents and then selling portions of the same to private buyers, generating proceeds of crime.
Investigators say Mayekar played a central role in the conspiracy and had amassed several land parcels in the names of friends and relatives. He was arrested by the ED on October 1 and remains in judicial custody. The agency also noted that four more FIRs have been registered relating to similar land grabs in Anjuna and Assagao and more suspicious property acquisitions have been identified.
The ED claims its inquiry has exposed a systematic modus operandi involving the selection of vulnerable land parcels, creation of forged deeds and certificates purportedly from Communidades, and subsequent fraudulent mutation of these properties before selling them through frontmen.
The agency said information on suspected properties is being shared with other law-enforcement bodies as required under PMLA. Further investigation is underway.
