MAPUSA
The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court in Mapusa has granted bail to Devidas Gopinath Panjikar, the prime accused in a high-profile land grab case involving approximately 2.8 lakh square metres of ancestral property at Corjuem in Aldona, valued at over Rs 100 crore.
Panjikar, along with five other accused, is alleged to have forged documents and fabricated a will in an alleged attempt to usurp the property. The case has drawn significant attention due to the scale and value of the land involved.
As part of the bail conditions, Panjikar has been directed to report daily to the Mapusa Police Station for four days. The court has also restrained him from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.
Counsel for the accused, Adv Vinayak Porob, stated that his client was merely a witness in the matter and denied any direct involvement in the alleged fraud.
Meanwhile, police sources confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are also probing the possible role of a notary, a stamp vendor, and a legal professional in facilitating the alleged fraudulent transactions.
