The Goa Police Crime Branch has announced it is conducting a meticulous examination of fresh allegations made by a key accused in the state's multi-crore cash-for-jobs scandal. The accused, Puja Naik, has publicly claimed that a serving state minister and two senior government officials were involved in the racket.
Allegations Under the Microscope
Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Rahul Gupta addressed the media, confirming that an inquiry is actively underway. He emphasized that while Naik's claims are being taken seriously, they are being scrutinized carefully and cannot be accepted at face value. "Some of her allegations prima facie do not corroborate with other available records. Hence, they need a thorough examination," Gupta stated.
He revealed that the crime branch is analyzing the contents of her recorded statements in detail to decide the future course of action. Naik, who was arrested last year and is currently out on bail, posted a video on social media on November 9. In the video, she alleged, without naming anyone, that she collected money from victims on behalf of a minister, a senior IAS officer, and an engineer.
Discrepancies in the Accused's Statements
According to the police, Naik's recent video presents new information that was not part of her earlier official statements. Gupta highlighted a significant contradiction, noting that Naik had previously said nothing about the role of any government official in the scam.
In her viral video, Naik claimed to have paid a staggering Rs 17.68 crores to two officials between 2019 and 2022 to secure government jobs for candidates. The police have summoned her twice and recorded her statements, including a recent interrogation session that lasted nearly five hours.
Police Investigation and Political Fallout
The Crime Branch is also verifying specific details from Naik's allegations. One claim pointed to a flat in Panaji's PDA Colony as a location where financial transactions occurred. However, police enquiries with the flat owner produced records showing only hotel management students had resided there since 2019.
The scandal has ignited a political firestorm in Goa. The Opposition Congress has seized upon the allegations, demanding a judicial inquiry and accusing the government under Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of protecting the powerful individuals involved. Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has further claimed that Naik had named a minister in her statement after her arrest last year, but the name was conspicuously absent from the subsequently filed chargesheet.
Puja Naik is named in five separate cases related to the cash-for-jobs scam across Goa and was granted bail on November 21 last year. As the police continue their painstaking verification process, the case remains a major test for the state's administration and law enforcement.
