A man who paid Rs 27 lakh for a fake government appointment letter turned up at Goa’s excise commissioner’s office in Panaji on Thursday and attempted to take charge as an additional commissioner before staff discovered that no such appointment had been made.
Manoj Talekar arrived at the office claiming that he had been appointed additional commissioner of excise-I and director administration. He began issuing orders to staff members and asked for official files so he could start work. The excise commissioner had recently been transferred, and Talekar’s presence initially went unchallenged, according to the report.
Staff members became suspicious when Talekar started demanding files and giving instructions. They made inquiries with other officials, who confirmed that no appointment had been issued in his name. Talekar then produced an appointment order that purported to authorise his taking charge.
The Panaji police were informed and a team reached the office. Talekar was detained and taken to the Panaji police station for questioning. During the inquiry, he reportedly told police that a man identified as Ajit Shankhwalkar had taken Rs 27 lakh from him and handed over the appointment letter in return.
Assistant commissioner of excise Sanket Sakhardande filed a complaint against Shankhwalkar. Panaji police subsequently registered a first information report for cheating and began efforts to trace the accused. The report did not specify whether the money was paid in one transaction or provide further details about the alleged recruitment network.
Police said Talekar was not impersonating an officer. Instead, he had gone to the excise office believing that the appointment letter he had received was genuine. The document described him as additional commissioner of excise-I and director administration and stated that he would take over as excise commissioner from September 29.
The letter also appeared to carry the signature of excise commissioner Ashvin Chandru. Its wording raised doubts among office staff because an order of this nature would ordinarily not be issued by an officer who had been transferred, according to the report. That procedural inconsistency led officials to verify the document before allowing Talekar to assume charge.
The incident places the focus on the basic verification systems used for government appointments, particularly when an office is undergoing a change in leadership. In this case, internal inquiries among officials ultimately established that no such appointment had been made. The police investigation will determine how the document was prepared, whether others were involved and how the alleged payment was obtained.
Panaji police are continuing efforts to locate Shankhwalkar. The case remains centred on the alleged issuance of a fraudulent appointment order and the recovery of the money paid by Talekar.
