Panaji, February 26 Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar and 28 others have been booked for allegedly stealing files and other items from the Goa Town and Country Planning Department office during a protest, an official said on Thursday.
Borkar had led a protest at the office of Chief Town Planner Vertika Dagur in Patto locality here on February 20, objecting to the change of zone in the Pale-Siridao village under controversial section 39A of the Town and Country Planning Act, he said.
Borkar and several others have been demanding the scrapping of section 39A, which empowers the chief town planner to convert any non-settlement zone into a settlement, paving the way for construction.
After the group stayed put at the office throughout the night, Borkar was forcibly removed in the morning of February 21.
Citing information from the police, tribal leader Govind Shirodkar said that 29 protesters, including Borkar, have been booked for allegedly stealing 10 files from the Town and Country Planning department, as well as fans and cupboards.
"This is a ridiculous charge because the police were present during the entire protest. The area is also under CCTV surveillance," Shirodkar claimed.
Meanwhile, Borkar's fast unto death seeking the repeal of section 39A of the TCP Act entered its sixth day on Thursday.