With intense pressure from Manohar Parrikar to somehow shield his protégé the Crime Branch Inspector Dattaguru Sawant, all eyes are now on whether the Chief Secretary upholds the law or buckles to the diktats of the political bosses.
The Director General of Police has forwarded to the Chief Secretary the inquiry report by Superintendent of Police Shekhar Prabhudesai into the complaint over the huge disproportionate assets acquired by Crime Branch Police Inspector Dattaguru Sawant.
Crime Branch Inspector Dattaguru Sawant on 18th August 2014 at an auction conducted by the Goa Housing Board had bid after paying an initial deposit of Rs one lakh for a mind boggling amount of Rs. 1,45,86,000 a plot admeasuring 483 sq. mtrs. at Durga Vaddo in Taleigao. Dattaguru Sawant was declared the successful bidder but did not make any further payment so he forfeited the one lakh deposited. Dattaguru Sawant has to explain as to how he bid for a whopping one crore forty five lakhs and had besides also not sought the requisite departmental permission.
Dattaguru Sawant through a benami transaction alleged purchased Flat A-102, at Risara Luxuria in Taleigao admeasuring 138 sq. mtrs. for Rs. 89,80,800 where he is currently now residing. If Dattaguru Sawant now claims that the flat has been taken by him on rent, he has to explain as to how he is paying the rent which should be approximately Rs 45,000 a month for that luxurious flat. Dattaguru Sawant’s gross monthly salary is around Rs 58,000.
Dattaguru Sawant has also furnished that flat to a tune of approximately Rs 20 lakhs which was all purchased from a premium furniture store THE TREASURE located at Dukle Heaven in Taleigao. Dattaguru Sawant and his spouse Manuja who is a housewife also own Polo cars bearing registration No GA07K2111 and GA07Q2111 respectively without seeking required departmental permissions.
Dattaguru Sawant is reportedly drawing House Rent allowance despite being in possession of a government residential premises in Block M-52 at the Montepio quarters at Althinho which he has kept closed.
It may be recalled that Dattaguru Sawant through his very close links with the BJP and RSS was inducted as a Police Sub-Inspector in 2002 during Manohar Parrikar’s first term as Chief Minister but his appointment was set aside by the High Court as illegal while the matter is now pending before the Supreme Court. In 2003 Dattaguru Sawant was dismissed from service for allegedly extorting money at Mapusa but managed to get reinstated in 2006.
Dattaguru Sawant is currently also facing proceedings before the Goa State Police Complaints Authority for having as then Police Sub-Inspector at Konkan Railway Station at Margao on 1st September 2013 demanded free helmets from the goods consignment that had arrived at the Railway Station but as the two porters refused to give him free helmets, Dattaguru Sawant arrested and implicated them in a false and fabricated case which was not only a grave misconduct on his part but a severe police atrocity.
Dattaguru Sawant had a criminal record even before becoming a police officer with an F.I.R registered against him in 1999 at the Panaji Police Station for having along with some BJP activists sprayed black ink on then Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Shantaram Naik at the entrance of Cafe Bhosle in Panaji.
