Digital Goa, Nov 13 – Cash-for-govt job accused Pooja Naik has named two government officials and one politician before Crime Branch, though she has not accused the latter, informed North Goa SP Rahul Gupta. He refrained from naming the officials saying anyone can make allegations on anyone. Until and unless investigation corroborates the allegations, it will not be appropriate to name them, he said. As regards the involvement of Minister, Gupta said Pooja has named a politician but not accused him in the matter. The Crime Branch has begun an inquiry into allegations made by accused Pooja Naik, who in a video interview to a local channel claimed to have paid ₹17.68 crore to two government officials between 2019 and 2022 to secure government jobs for 613 applicants. Although Pooja had claimed in the video that she had already named the accused govt officials before police last years, however SP Gupta asserted she had not named these officials in her earlier interrogations related to five cases where she is an accused. Chargesheet has already been filed in 3 of these five cases. Pooja is out on bail since Nov 2024. “Her statements cannot be taken at face value. We have doubts about her genuineness,” he said. Pooja had alleged that cash transactions occurred at a flat in PDA Colony, Porvorim. However, inquiries with the flat owner revealed that only hotel management students have been staying there since 2019, claimed Gupta. A few of her allegations prima facie are not corroborating with other available records, hence, need thorough examination, SP added.
