A court in Merces has provided interim anticipatory bail to businesswoman Natalina Vaz and her two children, Nathan and Danira Vaz, who are associated with the prominent Models Group. This relief comes in connection with a long-standing land-grabbing case that is currently under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Legal Arguments and Defense Submission
Representing the accused, senior advocate S Kantak, along with advocate P Talaulikar, presented key arguments before the court. The counsel emphasized that the First Information Report (FIR) was registered approximately 15 years ago. They contended that at the time of the alleged incident, their clients had no connection to the construction company involved and were not even named in the initial police complaint.
The defense further argued that the matter is essentially a civil dispute. They assured the court of their clients' consistent cooperation with the ED, stating that whenever the agency issued call letters, the Vaz family complied fully and provided all relevant documents in their possession.
Chronology of the Land Dispute
The roots of the case trace back to 2004. According to the complaint, Fr Arlino De Mello, listed as accused number 1, applied to the City Survey office in Panaji. His request was to record the name of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman in the holders' column of the official Form B for a specific property.
In 2006, Fr Victor Rodrigues, the procurator for the Archdiocese and accused number 2, testified before the same office. He stated that no name appeared in the Form B issued for the property, identified as Chalta No. 44, PT Sheet No. 162 of Panaji City. Based on submitted documents, he requested the Archdiocese's name be recorded as the holder.
This led to a significant order on December 5, 2006, by the then inspector of survey and land records. The order officially recorded the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman's name in the holders' column. The complaint alleges that this action resulted in the deletion of the name of the original tenant, Tanu Gauns alias Kankonkar, from the 2,475 square meter property. The complaint was subsequently filed by Gauns's son.
Models Group's Involvement and Investigation Status
The case took a new turn in 2007 when the Models Group purchased the disputed property from the owners. The company proceeded with the construction of residential premises and sold the flats developed on the land.
During the police investigation, the team applied for a 'C' Summary report, which typically signifies a case is false, mistake of fact, or involves a civil dispute. However, in 2012, the Magistrate rejected this 'C' Summary application. The court directed the investigating agency to conduct a more thorough probe, keeping the case alive and eventually bringing it under the scrutiny of the Enforcement Directorate.
The grant of interim anticipatory bail provides temporary protection to the Vaz family from arrest as the complex legal and investigative proceedings around this decades-old property dispute continue.
