Panaji, Goa: Senior Congress leader and AICC member Girish Chodankar has raised serious concerns over alleged financial irregularities involving former State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) Shri Prashant S.P. Tendolkar. In a formal complaint to the Chief Secretary, Dr. V Candavelou, IAS, Chodankar has accused Tendolkar of illegally claiming pension benefits under the Supreme Court Judges Act and gratuity, despite being ineligible for the same.
Demand for High Court Review
Chodankar has called for an urgent review of the judgment in WP/433/2021, arguing that the Finance Secretary and Director of Accounts failed in their responsibility as custodians of public funds. He stated that they should have verified Tendolkar’s eligibility before processing any pension benefits.
He emphasized that Tendolkar, who was appointed Additional President of the Goa State Administrative Tribunal on 20/09/2013, served only for one year and five months until 28/02/2015 before retiring upon turning 60 years old. He was not receiving any pension prior to being appointed as SCIC, making him ineligible for pension and gratuity benefits under the Supreme Court Judges Act.
Misrepresentation of Facts?
Chodankar has accused Tendolkar, a lawyer himself, of deceiving the court by misrepresenting his pension eligibility. According to Chodankar, if Tendolkar had received any prior pension from government service, that amount should have been deducted from his salary as SCIC—but this was never done.
This is not the first controversy surrounding Tendolkar. Chodankar reminded the public of a past incident where Tendolkar allegedly misused a red beacon car during his tenure as SCIC. Following public outrage, he was forced to remove the red beacon.
Why Has the Government Not Acted?
Three months have passed since the High Court’s judgment, yet the government has not filed a review petition in the High Court or an appeal in the Supreme Court. Chodankar stressed that errors or oversights in judgments must be corrected through a review petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The High Court, as a Court of Record, has the power to review its own judgments if new evidence or important facts emerge.
Scam After Scam Under BJP Rule?
Chodankar accused the BJP-led government of ignoring corruption scandals, alleging that scam after scam is surfacing under Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s administration. He pointed to multiple CAG reports exposing financial mismanagement, yet no corrective actions have been taken.
“The government must stop looting the public exchequer. If no action is taken in this pension fraud involving crores of rupees, I will take further legal steps in the public interest,” warned Chodankar.
He also alleged that the BJP government is misleading courts for financial gains, drawing parallels between this issue and the controversial casino licenses in Goa. He claimed that the government falsely cites court orders to justify financial irregularities, manipulating judicial decisions for their benefit.
Will the Government Act?
With allegations of financial fraud, deception, and judicial manipulation, all eyes are now on the Goa government. Will they initiate a review petition, or will this issue be buried like many others? The people of Goa await transparency and accountability in the face of growing concerns over financial irregularities.
