log on to thegoan.net Facebook.com/thegoan @thegoanonline MONDAY APRIL 8, 2024 GOA The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO. 291 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 5 3 Dabolim cash seizure: How the highway heist plan went awry GOA Panel headed by Sanjit to map Panaji's storm water drain network Key political leaders face-off in background as battle lines are drawn for South Goa seat - 9 INFO Mango For Hair: Easy DIY hair packs SPORTS MI beats DC to finally end losing streak 12 NITESH ROPED IN ‘FLYING SQUAD’ THAT WILLINGLY ‘PLAYED ALONG’ THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The 'seizure' of Rs 16 lakh cash from a businessman at Dabolim in South Goa by rogue election officials last Sunday was originally meant to be a planned highway heist. However when the plan went awry, Nitesh Naik, roped in the 'flying squad' to make it look like an official election-related seizure, police investigations have revealed. Naik, a lower division clerk (LDC) of the electricity department but deployed on election duty in the Information Technology (IT) 'monitoring cell' at the office of the South Goa Collector, stopped the vehicle and lifted the money from Ashok Chaudhury. It was only when Chaudhury realised he was looted that he chased and caught up with Naik, asking him to report to the Vasco police station. Realising that his initially planned highway heist was going awry, Nitesh then roped in the Dabolim 'flying squad' members of which surprisingly played ball. Chaudhury, a Ghaziabad THE `  6 LAKH SEIZURE SAGA 1 „„Nitesh Naik is a LDC of Electricity Dept but was deployed on election duty in Info Tech (IT) 'monitoring cell' at South Goa Collector’s office „„Chaudhury, a Ghaziabad businessman had picked up Rs16 lakh from a businessman friend Krishnaiah who owns a granite factory in Sancoale „„While driving back home businessman but temporarily living in Caranzalem, had picked up the Rs16 lakh from a businessman friend Yashwant Singh Krishnaiah, who owns a granite factory in Sancoale industrial estate and lives in Dabolim. Later, while driving back home to Caranzalem with the money, Chaudhury was stopped by Nitesh, who claimed to be an IT officer, which is not false, except that it was construed to be 'Income Tax officer'. He confiscated the money to Caranzalem with the money, Chaudhury was stopped by Nitesh, who claimed to be an IT officer, which is not false, except that it was construed to be 'Income Tax officer' „„Nitesh confiscates the but Chaudhury doubted his credentials as no procedures were followed. He chased and caught up with his looters and asked Nitesh to come to the Vasco police station. That is when the latter called the Dabolim flying squad and his network of looters widened to include the flying squad in-charge Anirudh Pawar, who is Mormugao municpal engineer. Verna police had initially recovered Rs 8 lakh on Wednesday -- Rs 4 lakh each from Naik and Pawar. Both have since money but Chaudhury doubts his credentials as no procedures were followed „„Chaudhury realises he has been looted, chases and catches up with his looters and asks Nitesh to come to Vasco police station „„Realising that his plan was going awry Nitesh ropes in Dabolim 'flying squad' members been suspended by Chandru and were also arrested by the police but are out on bail. Late on Saturday evening, the police also succeeded in recovering the balance Rs 8 lakh, interestingly from the company owned Krishnaiah who had lent the Rs 16 lakh to the complainant. According to a Verna police sources connected with the investigations, an accomplice of Nites, Chandan Yadav, who had taken half the loot returned the money to Krishnaiah on suspecting that their TRAIL LEADS TO LAND DEAL Chaudhary had recently bought a parcel of land in Quelossim and had come down to Goa on March 31 along with a friend Pawan Kumar Verma, to complete the formalities of the land deal, including land-use conversion. The Rs 16 lakh he borrowed from Krishnaiah was to offset the expenditure for the land deal formalities. plan was going the wrong way. He rushed to the Sancoale factory of Krishnaiah and returned the entire Rs 8 lakhs, the police source said. Pursuing Chandan's story, the investigators sent Krishnaiah a summons to join the investigations and on verifying it recovered Rs 8 lakhs from his company's office at Sancoale. Apart from Nitesh, Pawar and Yadav, the case also names Keshav Khawanekar. The foursome are out on bail. STANDING TALL: The two-century-old banyan tree that has been translocated at Campal on Sunday. Narayan Pissurlenkar Uprooted St Inez banyan tree finds a new home at Campal THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The two-century-old banyan tree, which was uprooted from its St Inez location despite protests by local residents and greens post midnight on Friday-Saturday to make way for 'Smart City' road has been translocated to a spot in Campal. The tree, or whatever is left of it is now standing in its new location in Campal from Sunday noon. Earlier on Friday evening, dozens of locals and green activists had protested the move and prevented workers hired to do the job from going ahead. The action was taken as greens feared that without experts to supervise and in the intense heat wave conditions it could be detrimental to the health and survival of the tree, said to be over 200 years old. However, the tree was uprooted anyway post midnight with the Forest Department reportedly granting permission for its translocation. Now that it, or whatever is left of it, has been translocated at Campal, the progress of its rehabilitation is expected to be keenly watched by many.