The Goa government has referred 150 cases of property acquisitions by foreigners to the Reserve Bank of India, after an internal investigation by the state police found evidence of FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) violations.
Goa Chief Secretary J P Singh told Deccan Herald, “there is prima facie evidence that these property deals have violated the provisions of FEMA. We're waiting for the RBI to tell us what action is to be initiated”.
A special committee was set up last year by the state government to investigate property acquisitions in Goa by foreigners, after 482 such cases were brought to the notice of the state assembly.
Though the general impression is that foreigners have been queuing up to pick up a holiday home in Goa, the truth is that a large number of them have been illegally pocketing huge tracts of green cover and even agricultural land.
Among the cases under the scanner are the 55 acres bought by a United States national in Pilerne village, 20 acres acquired by a Swiss national in Socorro village and 16 acres cornered by a Briton in Sangolda village in North Goa.