Panaji: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Panaji Zonal Office, on Tuesday said that it has provisionally attached 24 immovable properties valued at Rs 193.49 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with the Goa land grab case.
The properties, located across Bardez Taluka — including prime areas such as Calangute, Assagao, Anjuna, Nerul, and Parra — were attached through a Provisional Attachment Order (PAO) dated April 25, 2025.
This is the second provisional attachment in the case, ED said.
Earlier, the ED had attached 31 properties worth Rs 39.24 crore in 2023. That attachment was confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority (PMLA), New Delhi, through an order dated April 15, 2024.
The ED’s investigation is based on multiple FIRs registered by the Goa Police and investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on land grabbing.
The FIRs allege fraudulent and illegal acquisition of land through forgery, cheating, and manipulation of official records.
According to the ED, the accused used forged documents and property deeds created in the names of deceased individuals or their ancestors to fraudulently insert their names or those of their associates into government land records.
These illegally acquired properties were then sold to third parties — generating proceeds of crime — or transferred to associates via sham sale deeds without actual payment.
The latest attachment includes a mix of properties sold to third parties, properties transferred through bogus transactions, and others identified during the ongoing investigation.
All are located in high-value, tourism-centric areas of Bardez Taluka.
With this latest action, the total value of attached properties in the case has risen to Rs 232.73 crore.
The ED has also filed a charge sheet in the case on April 12, 2024, before the Special Court (PMLA) in Mapusa, which has taken cognizance. Further investigation is underway.
(IANS)
