Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: Margao Town Police have registered a case against M/s Edgecome Telecommunications Pvt. Ltd., Mahadev Govekar, Ethernet and others for allegedly illegally using electricity department infrastructure to install internet cables without permission, posing a threat to public safety.
The complaint was lodged by Kashinath Shetye, Executive Engineer XV and Civil Nodal Officer, Land Acquisition Cell, Electricity Department, Panaji. According to the complaint, on January 17, 2026, within the jurisdiction of Margao Town Police Station at TNK, the accused—who operate as internet and cable service providers from their office at Nova Cidade Complex, Porvorim—criminally conspired with their agents and employees to trespass on electricity poles and other infrastructure belonging to the Electricity Department.
It is alleged that the accused illegally pulled internet and optical fibre cables on electricity poles without obtaining valid permissions, conducting surveys, or securing mandatory stability certificates from the Electricity Department or any other competent authority. These acts allegedly endangered human life, including that of electricity linemen, pedestrians and vehicle drivers, and posed a risk to government infrastructure.
The complaint further states that the accused disobeyed Public Notice No. E-1/52/24-25/1412 dated February 3, 2025, issued by the Electricity Department, which directed the removal of all internet and optical fibre cables from electricity poles. Their actions allegedly resulted in public nuisance.
Additionally, the accused are alleged to have provided false information to obtain licences, failed to furnish mandatory information to public servants, and did not pay the required fees to the Electricity Department, thereby causing a loss to the government exchequer amounting to crores of rupees.
Further investigation in the case is being carried out by PSI Shubham Gaunkar of Margao Town Police Station.
