DoE serves notices to foreigners in Goa

The notices, issued directly to the parties and also through the Goa government, has asked why their properties involved in the contravention of the FEMA should not be confiscated to the Central government account in terms of section 13 (2) of FEMA 1999.        

Also, all the respondents (foreigners) have to appear in person or through legal practitioner at DoEs Mumbai office at different dates as mentioned in the notice.        

Goa, the erstwhile Portuguese colony, recently woke up to the grim reality of losing its large chunk of lands to the foreigners allegedly in violation of FEMA.        

The state government in their report presented on the floor of the house cited 392 such cases and formed a high level committee headed by senior IAS official Anupam Kishore to probe into the violations.        

The committee, prima facie, had found violations in 298 cases, which were referred to Directorate of Enforcement and Reserve Bank of India.        

UK and Russians topped the list of foreigners who had invested in properties in Goa, mostly by forming companies.        

"Those cases where investment is above Rs one crore will be heard by special director while below Rs one crore will be referred to deputy director," DoE's Assistant director Anil Kumar Singh told PTI today.