Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Police have booked a Siolim-based landlord for failing to report the stay of Israeli national Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, who was recently arrested with drugs worth ₹8.7 lakh.
Param Varty (36), the landlord, allegedly rented out his studio apartment to Atala without submitting the mandatory ‘C’ form to the Anjuna Police — a legal requirement when accommodating foreign nationals. A complaint in this regard was lodged by Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) DySP Nerlon Albuquerque.
According to DySP Albuquerque, all property owners, including those running hotels or guest houses, must inform the local police about the presence of foreign nationals through a ‘C’ form, regardless of the guest’s documentation such as Aadhaar or passport.
Investigations revealed that Varty had taken 19 studio apartments on rent from original owners and was subletting them to tourists on a daily basis under leave and license agreements. He has been charged under Section 16 of the Foreigners Order, 1948, and Section 14C of the Foreigners Act, 1946. If convicted, the offences carry a penalty and imprisonment of up to five years.
Meanwhile, ANC officers are attempting to trace the documents Atala used to obtain an Aadhaar card through a nationalised bank. The process has been delayed due to public holidays in Maharashtra, where the UIDAI headquarters are located.
Atala, who was arrested on April 6, was once at the centre of a high-profile scandal in Goa over a decade ago, which exposed deep links between drug dealers, politicians, and the police. His arrest then led to the suspension of seven police personnel.
