In a significant development, the Crime Branch of Goa Police has concluded its investigation into high-profile job scam allegations made by an accused, Pooja Naik, and found no evidence to support her claims against state ministers and senior officials. The probe, which wrapped up on Tuesday, systematically dismantled Naik's narrative, pointing instead to her own alleged fraudulent activities.
Allegations Unravel: No Proof of Employment or 'Diary'
Pooja Naik had alleged a massive scam involving the payment of Rs 17.6 crore to senior government officials in exchange for securing government jobs for aspirants. A central part of her story was that she worked at the MGP office in St Inez in 2012, where she was introduced by minister Ramkrishna 'Sudin' Dhavlikar to the concerned officials.
However, Crime Branch SP Rahul Gupta stated that the inquiry conclusively revealed she never worked there. "No documentary or oral evidence about her presence in the party office or receiving a salary could come out during the inquiry," Gupta said, confirming that all officials and staff from that time denied her association.
Naik also claimed to have maintained a diary containing the names of 613 job aspirants and the amounts collected, which she said was handed over to a friend. The investigation hit a dead end here as well. During physical verification of the addresses, Naik could not identify the friend or the house. "Inquiry revealed no such diary existed, and no person named was associated with her. After cross-questioning, Naik herself now accepts she does not know any such person personally," the SP revealed.
Financial Trails Lead Nowhere, Lavish Lifestyle Exposed
The financial allegations also collapsed under scrutiny. Naik alleged she was promised Rs 30,000 per candidate as commission and received Rs 20 lakh in total. Investigators found no evidence of any fund transfers to the named officials. When questioned about handling such large sums, Naik gave contradictory statements, saying she took commission from candidates and that her husband sold fish for a living.
Contrasting this claimed modest income, the probe uncovered that Naik and her family enjoyed a lavish lifestyle funded by the money collected from job seekers. Six high-value vehicles and three earthmovers, worth over Rs 3 crore, were purchased, some of which were seized at the Mardol police station. The SP noted that this included tours abroad.
Conclusion and Next Steps for Victims
SP Rahul Gupta summarized the findings, stating, "After meticulous verification of documents, premises, financial records, and digital trails, no material evidence has been found to support Naik’s allegations against the govt officials named. On the contrary, the findings indicate Naik herself misled the public and collected money fraudulently from job seekers."
The Crime Branch is now exploring legal avenues to recover the money Naik collected from the candidates by attaching her assets. Gupta urged candidates who have complaints against Naik to approach the Crime Branch for further legal action, reaffirming that Goa Police is committed to securing justice for the victims of the job scam.
