Going through allegations that he abused his place in altering the zone of a property he ultimately purchased, former Goa chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel has advised the Excessive Court docket of Bombay at Goa he “signed greater than 700… recordsdata in March 2024”, together with the one in query.
The petition in opposition to Goel
In October, two Goans, Dhirendra Phadte and Jose Maria Miranda, filed a public curiosity litigation claiming that zoning of a property in village Aldona in Bardez taluka was “illegally” modified from paddy subject to settlement within the Regional Plan 2021 below part 17(2) of the Goa City and Nation Planning Act, 1974. This part permits conversion of plots with out public session if the proprietor approaches the division with a request to “appropriate inadvertent errors” or “rectify inconsistent/incoherent zoning” within the regional plan.
The petitioners alleged “colourable train of energy” on a part of authorities officers within the matter of zone change, claiming that Goel, who additionally held the cost of Secretary, City and Nation Planning, on the time, signed the file approving the zone conversion in March 2024, months earlier than he bought the property.
The petitioners claimed the professional committee of the federal government “arbitrarily” processed the applying with out following the method of regulation, thereby permitting destruction of the setting and paddy fields and coastal regulation zone space.
Goel’s response
In an affidavit filed earlier than the Excessive Court docket final week, Goel mentioned the allegations made by the petitioners that he participated within the strategy of granting approval to learn himself has no advantage or substance. He mentioned he had “no connection of in any way nature” with the house owners of the property till he agreed to buy it from them, “which occurred after the correction of error in zoning was authorized by the Authorities on March 11, 2024”.
He mentioned he’s a bona fide purchaser of the property and has not used or abused his energy or place to realize any undue benefit or any profit.
“As Chief Secretary and Secretary (TCP), I’ve signed greater than 700… recordsdata within the month of March 2024. The professional committee of the federal government took a call to approve the proposal moved… for correction of error to settlement and the identical was accorded authorities approval,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the acquisition of the property was made after all of the permissions and approvals have been obtained.
Within the affidavit, Goel mentioned he bought a flat in Gurgaon in October 2023 and was suggested by his chartered accountant to put money into one other residential premises for tax administration functions. He mentioned he determined to buy a residential property in Goa since he had plans to quiet down there after retirement.
He mentioned that someday in April 2024, he contacted an individual who dealt in properties in Goa, who in flip knowledgeable him of a home property obtainable on the market in Aldona.
He mentioned he bought the property by way of a sale deed registered on July 5 for Rs 2.6 crore.
He mentioned that previous to assembly the property seller, he had no data or details about the home property or its house owners. Goel additionally denied the contentions of the petitioners that he had taken the route of correction of zone below part 17(2) of the TCP Act to undo and circumvent the provisions of the Goa Restriction on Switch of Agricultural Land Act 2023, stating that “as he’s a non-agriculturist and therefore the sale of transaction itself is null and void as per part 3 of the mentioned Act”.
Goel, a 1991-batch AGMUT cadre officer, was appointed Secretary, Nationwide Fee for Scheduled Tribes, Ministry of Tribal Affairs final month.
When contacted, he advised The Indian Specific, “No matter I needed to say, I’ve mentioned within the affidavit.”
