Accused in Goa job scam claims minister, IAS officer's involvement; CM assures probe

An accused in the Goa cash-for-jobs scam has alleged that a state minister, a senior IAS officer and an engineer were involved in the racket, prompting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to assure a thorough investigation into the matter.

Puja Naik, one of the accused arrested in the case last year, posted a video on social media on Friday alleging the involvement of a minister from the Sawant-led cabinet and two others in the multi-crore scam.

She claimed that she had been collecting money from victims on behalf of the minister, a senior IAS officer and an engineer, who are yet to return around Rs 17 crore.

Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Sawant said that the police would record Naik's statement on the issue.

''Her statement would be recorded in the presence of a magistrate and the police. Let her reveal the name of the minister or whoever she claims to have been involved in the statement,'' he said.

The chief minister warned of ''strict action'' against those guilty only if the probe proves their involvement.

Naik was arrested in October last year, following allegations against her of accepting money from people on the promise of government jobs. Cases have been registered against her in different police stations in the coastal state, including Ponda and Bicholim.

Several complaints had been filed across Goa, with many government job aspirants alleging they were forced to pay lakhs of rupees to some people under the pretext of facilitating employment, leading to several arrests.