ED Attaches ₹1,268 Crore Land in Massive Goa Forgery Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached 19 prime land parcels in Goa, measuring over five lakh square metres and collectively valued at ₹1,268.63 crore, in a large-scale land scam and money-laundering case. The properties, located in sought-after areas such as Anjuna, Assagaon and Ucassaim, were attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Alleged Kingpin: Shivshankar Mayekar

According to the ED, the properties were allegedly grabbed by a group led by Shivshankar Mayekar, described by investigators as the key conspirator in the case. The probe suggests that Mayekar orchestrated the acquisition of multiple land parcels by routing them through friends, relatives and frontmen, who were shown as ostensible owners on paper. 

Mayekar was arrested by the ED on 1 October 2025 and is currently in judicial custody. His arrest followed earlier search operations in September and October, during which bank accounts and other assets worth about ₹12.85 crore were seized or frozen.

How the Goa Land Scam Worked

The case stems from an FIR filed by Goa Police against Yeshwant Sawant and others for allegedly defrauding the Communidade of Anjuna over land located at Survey No. 496/1-A. The group is accused of using forged records to get the land mutated in their names and then selling portions to third parties, generating substantial proceeds of crime. 

Investigators say the fraud relied on a consistent modus operandi:

• Identifying vulnerable or high-value land parcels in prime Goan localities.
• Fabricating and forging key land documents such as:
  • Aforamento / Allotment Certificates
  • Certificates of Final Possession
  • Auto de Demarcação (Demarcation Certificates)
  • Historical sale deeds and gift deeds
• Using these forged documents before authorities to secure fraudulent mutations in the names of frontmen.
• Subsequently selling the properties to unsuspecting buyers, thereby laundering the proceeds into the financial system.

Scale of Attachment and Ongoing Probe

The provisional attachment order dated 27 November 2025 covers 19 immovable properties spread across coastal and semi-urban belts of Goa. The combined market value, estimated at ₹1,268.63 crore, marks one of the largest land-related attachments by the ED in the state to date.

ED officials have indicated that at least four more FIRs have been registered in relation to similar alleged land-grab patterns involving properties in Anjuna and Assagaon. Several additional parcels are now under scrutiny, and details are being shared with other law-enforcement agencies through PMLA’s information-sharing mechanisms.

Broader Impact: Real Estate, Governance and Compliance

The case has triggered fresh concern over land governance and title security in Goa, especially in areas where land records are complex and historic Communidade holdings intersect with modern real estate development. For investors and developers, the episode is a reminder of the importance of:

• Independent title verification beyond basic document checks.
• Cross-checking mutation entries and Communidade or local body approvals.
• Maintaining enhanced due diligence in high-value resort and coastal zones.
• Using specialist legal and financial advisors for large property transactions.

Regulators, meanwhile, are expected to focus more closely on systemic risks posed by forged land titles, especially when such assets are later used as collateral, layered through multiple transactions, or parked in complex ownership structures.

Key Case Highlights

• 19 properties attached, worth about ₹1,268.63 crore.
• Prime locations: Anjuna, Assagaon, Ucassaim and nearby areas.
• Alleged use of forged Communidade and land records to grab property.
• Accused mastermind Shivshankar Mayekar arrested and in judicial custody.
• Multiple FIRs and further land parcels under investigation.

About Shunyatax Global: Shunyatax Global provides deep, compliance-focused coverage of financial crime, cross-border taxation and regulatory risk. For expert insights on money-laundering trends, enforcement actions and governance frameworks, visit Shunyatax Bookkeeping Services and explore our advisory and intelligence services.