Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jun 5: In a significant development over a month after exposing a Rs 1,600 crore land scam in the state, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Rohan Harmalkar, the alleged kingpin behind the illegal acquisition of extensive land parcels in Bardez taluka.
Harmalkar, who unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, was reportedly involved in forging property documents to sell lands—some worth over Rs 1,000 crore—to buyers from Delhi-NCR and northern states. The ED confirmed his arrest but remained tight-lipped about further arrests.
“He was arrested around 11:30 pm on Tuesday. He was produced before the court today (Wednesday) and has been remanded to 14 days of ED custody. Further interrogation will follow, and details will be shared as the probe progresses,” an ED official said.
The arrest comes weeks after the agency launched searches in April under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, unearthing a well-coordinated fraud targeting prime real estate in Anjuna, Arpora, and Assagao.
According to the ED, Harmalkar orchestrated a network of impersonators and used fake documents to sell land belonging to unsuspecting families and private owners without their consent.
“He and his associates executed a massive land grab conspiracy, using impersonation, forged documents, and tampered revenue records to illegally appropriate properties,” the ED said. “These fraudulent transactions caused significant financial and legal hardships to rightful owners.”
During the investigation, the ED seized original property documents linked to assets valued at over Rs 600 crore. Officials also revealed that Harmalkar’s clientele included individuals and businesses from Delhi-NCR, Haryana, and other parts of North India.
The agency’s probe continues, with more revelations likely in the coming weeks.