Panaji, Jan 16 (IANS): A Goa trial court Thursday directed the state police to file a First Information Report (FIR) against Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, after a lawyer said he illegally grabbed community land.

Section 420 of the IPC relates to cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.

The order, by Judicial Magistrate First Class Reina Fernandes, followed a petition by lawyer-activist Aires Rodrigues, who claimed that Parulekar, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from the Saligao assembly constgituency, 10 km from Panaji, has illegally encroached 599 sq metres of prime land adjoining National Highway 17.

The order also asks the police to book panchayat secretary Peter Martin for making false documents, using which Parulekar tried to cover up the allegedly illegal act.

Rodrigues earlier attempted to file a complaint at the Porvorim police station, but the police refused to register it.