Panaji, Dec 1 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached 19 immovable properties covering over five lakh square metres in key locations throughout Goa, including Anjuna, Assagaon, and Ucassaim, with an estimated worth of around Rs 1,268.63 crore, as stated by the agency on Monday.

The attachment occurred on November 27 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED reported that these properties were unlawfully acquired by a group led by Shivshankar Mayekar, utilizing a variety of fabricated and forged land title documents, such as Aforamento/Allotment Certificates, Certificates of Final Possession, Auto de Demarcaçao (Demarcation Certificates), historical sale deeds, gift deeds, and other falsified records.

In previous searches conducted on September 9 and 10, the agency had seized and frozen bank accounts and assets valued at Rs 12.85 crore.

The investigation into money laundering was initiated from an FIR lodged by the Goa Police against Yeshwant Sawant and others for allegedly defrauding the Communidade of Anjuna concerning land at Survey No. 496/1-A, Anjuna.

It has been reported that the accused obtained fraudulent mutations of the land in their names through forged documents, subsequently selling portions to third parties and generating proceeds of crime, according to the ED.

The ED has identified Mayekar as the main conspirator, suggesting he illegally acquired multiple land parcels across Goa under the names of relatives and associates. He was arrested on October 1 and is currently in judicial custody.

The investigation has also unveiled four additional FIRs concerning illegal land acquisitions in Anjuna and Assagaon, with suspicions that more land parcels were bought through similar fraudulent practices.

Information related to these properties is being shared with relevant enforcement agencies under the PMLA’s inter-agency coordination mechanisms.

The inquiry has revealed a systematic modus operandi allegedly used by the Mayekar-led group, which involved identifying vulnerable or undervalued land parcels; fabricating title documents, including fake sale deeds; forged gift deeds; and counterfeit certificates purportedly issued by Communidade authorities; fraudulently mutating these properties in the names of frontmen, and selling the land to third parties to generate additional proceeds of crime.

The ED stated that further investigations are ongoing.