Goa Crime Branch Issues Fresh Summons to Mumbai Woman in Assagao House Demolition Case

Panaji: The Goa police's crime branch has issued a new summons to a Mumbai-based woman, in connection with the Assagao house demolition case, a senior official said.

Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Rahul Gupta said on Saturday that the crime branch has asked Puja Sharma to appear before the investigating officer on July 1.

Sharma is one of the accused in the case involving the unauthorised partial demolition of a house in Assagao, North Goa. In connection with the case, three police officers, including Inspector Prashil Desai of the Anjuna police station, have been suspended.

Gupta said that the Anjuna police had previously sent a summons to Sharma's residence, but it was not served as she was not available. This marks the second summons issued to her.

According to the police, Sharma claims ownership of the disputed property.

Prinsha Agarwadekar, a resident of the one-story house in Assagao, lodged a police complaint stating that her home was partially demolished on 22 June and that unidentified individuals abducted her husband Pradeep, and son Prince.

Subsequently, the police arrested Arshad Khwaja, 51, near Panaji. Khwaja claimed to be the owner of the property and the driver of the bulldozer involved in the demolition.

The demolition of the house has created a political controversy, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant instituting a high-level inquiry led by Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goyal into the case.

A factual report submitted by Anjuna police to chief secretary Puneet Goel and North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal on 27 June has said Director General of Police (DGP) Jaspal Singh allegedly pressurised them to help Sharma to get the property vacated. 

DGP Singh allegedly threatened Anjuna police officers that they would have to face the consequences if the demolition work was not allowed to continue.

Chief minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the home portfolio, had directed the chief secretary on 26 June to conduct a detailed inquiry into the demolition of the house.

The controversy started on June 22 when Pooja Sharma, who bought the property from the landlord in 2023, sent her people to allegedly demolish a house that a Goan family occupied.

(Inputs from PTI)