Panaji, Jan 28 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) here has threatened to file a defamation case against a local English daily and British national for tarnishing its officials' reputation.
References were made in the British Parliament Tuesday about the woes of British nationals, whose properties have been frozen or confiscated by the ED in Goa. It was subsequently reported in a local English daily.
ED spokesperson Pravin Pawar, in a formal press statement issued Wednesday, threatened to file defamation suit against the daily and a British national for "tarnishing the reputation of its officials".
On Tuesday, Britain's Conservative MP Tim Loughton, who represents the East Worthing and Shoreham constituency in South East England, raised in the parliament the issue of bogus complaints against British nationals who have purchased land in the coastal state of Goa.
Loughton also cited a specific case where he claimed two Britons were inconvenienced due to the seizure of a hotel which they had purchased in the south Goan village of Canacona, 100 km from Panaji.
He added that the issue also concerned several hundred British nationals who had purchased property in Goa, the transactions which are now in peril.
"The subject has potential to ruin the parents of one of my constituents and apparently affect 100s of others who are invested in property in Goa," he said, adding that British nationals were "frustrated by lack of action by Indians and Goan officials" also alleging "blatant corrupt practices at work".
Loughton also said that he had raised the issue with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as well as Goan Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, but to no avail.
In 2008, the state government had asked the ED to probe nearly 480 cases where land in Goa was purchased by foreigners using allegedly fraudulent means (before 2008) following official enquiries revealing that several revenue and Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) foreign investment norms had been allegedly flouted in these real estate transactions.
The government also froze sale of land to foreigners in Goa, pending the completion of the ED probe, especially after a police probe revealed that a coastal property in Morjim, 30 km from here, had been purchased by a company partly owned by Russian nationals with alleged mafia links.
Land deals conducted by foreign nationals pre-2008, worth over Rs.7 crore are being probed by the ED.
Currently, around 200 are under various stages of investigation, while 22 properties which had been illegally purchased had been confiscated by the agency.
In many of the cases, the owners of the confiscated property had gone in appeal before the Special Director (Appeals) in Mumbai.
Loughton Tuesday also named an appellate official in the ministry of finance, based in Mumbai, for having demanded a bribe of Rs.10 lakh from the British hotel owners in his address in British Parliament.
The ED in their statement has claimed that the Appellate authority is not an official of the agency.
"No official of the Enforcement Directorate Goa Office was named by Tim Loughton for extorting money from British nationals. He had named the appellate authority based in Mumbai who is not an ED official," the ED said.
Media reports have named two ED officials, who are allegedly involved in an extortion racket, pressurising the foreign nationals to shell out money in exchange for regularising their confiscated property, a charge that Pawar has denied.
The ED official has claimed that the department would file a defamation suit for "tarnishing the reputation of its officials by malicious reporting and by not bothering to check the facts either with the department or with the complainant".
Family council to be formed to decide; Isha, Akash and Anant will have full responsibility
In the country's largest corporate house Reliance Industries Group, preparations have now begun for a future successor. It is reported that the owner of the company, Mukesh Ambani Family Council,
56 pieces of the body, some cooked and eaten, sensational revelations in Kerala's sacrificial case
There has been a stir in Kerala after the case of human sacrifice due to black magic came to light. On Wednesday, the police made several sensational revelations in this case. Police said that a total
Issues important, Not names: Modi
New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said that names for social sector schemes like Clean India campaign are not important, only the issues are.Taking on the opposition in
Bihar's daughter Jyoti starts practice to join the trial of Cycling Federation
Darbhanga: Jyoti Kumari of Darbhanga, who arrived at Darbhanga from Gurugram in Haryana by sitting her father on a bicycle amid lockdown, is a topic of discussion all over Bihar at this time. Apart
Tirupati Balaji's demat account, shares of companies found in charity
Chittur district of Andhra Pradesh where Tirupati Venkateswara temple is located in Tirupati. Also known as Tirupati Balaji temple. Lord Venkateswara is called the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Millions
Why is Nepal making India's General an honorary president of its army?
Under the decades-long tradition in the armies of India and Nepal, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, the Chief of the Army Staff of India, will be conferred the title of Honorary President of the Army of
Know what is the treatment of Covid-19 cytokine therapy? Trial is going on in Karnataka
Doctors all over the world are using different medicines and therapies in the treatment of coronavirus, which is spreading waste. Some time ago in India, the clinical trial of Plasma Therapy was
Congress, AAP, or Owaisi Bhaijaan, on whose side will the Muslims of Gujarat go; BJP's plan too
In Gujarat, once again the opportunity has come to the people when they will elect the government for 5 years. Apart from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been ruling for 27 years, the
Russia-Ukraine War: Power crisis deepens in Ukraine due to Russian attacks, supply will remain closed in many parts
Russia's attacks on Ukraine are continuing. After the blast on the bridge connecting Russia and Ukraine, Russia has given full force to attack Ukraine. Many power plants in Ukraine have been destroyed
Constitution completes 75 years: President Murmu will address the joint session of Parliament today; year-long celebrations will continue.
On the occasion of the completion of 75 years of adoption of the Constitution, the Central Government is going to start a year-long program on Tuesday. The campaign 'Hamara Samvidhaan, Hamara
