Special Correspondent

Panaji, Sep 8: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday September 8 claimed the credit for seizure of foreigners properties in Goa by directorate of enforcement, which were purchased in violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

 “DE has confiscated four properties which were owned by foreigners by violating FEMA. The movement was started by our youth leader Rajan Ghate, who ensured that the issue is taken to logical end,” NCP Goa Unit spokesman Trojan D’Mello told reporters. 

Goa chief minister on Monday had announced that DE had taken over four properties owned by foreigners, after thorough probe into the purchases. The state had submitted a list of more than 300 properties owned by foreigners in the state totally in contravention to the FEMA regulation.

D’Mello said that the youth leaders should take up such issues which are crucial for the state of Goa.
 Ghate, a youth leader,  along with the villagers had tilled the paddy field, which was being illegally sold to a foreigner in a beach village of Morjim, on July 16, 2006.

A unique protest had paid off with state government taking cognizance of the case in which the property was sold to a Russian company keeping the tenant in darkness. The state government committee, which was constituted to probe the purchase of properties by foreigners, had pointed out that the loop holes in the land registrations had let the foreigners to purchase properties by violating FEMA.