Did the babus and the builders involved in one of the worst tragedies Goa faced in recent times work their way to give the long arm of the law the slip? Is this contractor of the ill-fated Ruby building alone responsible for such a catastrophe? With all the influential and highly-placed accused in the case managing to wriggle out unscathed, questions have now been raised whether the probing agency let it loose only because it was the labourers who were the victims and if government officials and builders influenced the probe. Eight government officials, one contractor and two builders were chargesheeted under various sections of Indian Penal Code in the Ruby building collapse. The case gives a shrill reminder of the 31 workers - including three Goan labourers- who lost their lives even as many others suffered grievous injuries on the fateful afternoon of January 4, 2014 when an under-construction 5-storey building collapsed at Chaudi Canacona.
Why did the investigation team fail to make a water-tight case despite filing a 2,600-page chargesheet backed with 185 witnesses whose statements were recorded? And what happened to the V K Jha Commission report which blamed the collapse on poor conceptual designs, inherent faulty structural design and defective execution of work at site, besides other factors?
The court, while exposing the shoddy investigation, ruled that the criminal conspiracy angle was not probed and that there is no material on record to suggest such a charge. Similarly, there was no evidence to suggest that the government officials in question were bribed. While questioning the investigating agency if they searched the bank accounts, the court observed that the corruption charge cannot be established and there was nothing on record to show that government officials took money. Procedural and technical irregularities which were pointed out were ruled as subject matter of departmental actions against the government officials, but certainly not criminal action. Even in the case of the contractor, the court observed that sections of culpable homicide not amounting to murder were clubbed together with negligence giving a clear indication that there was confusion in the mind of the investigating agency.
The poor spade work by the investigating agency has let off those accused in the building collapse. It is a sad day for the families of the 31 people who lost their lives and the many others who nearly escaped death only to realise now that there is nobody being held responsible per se. It is only because there was no proper homework done by the probe agency that 10 out of the 11 accused managed to walk free.
Investigations should be carried out in all fairness, irrespective of caste, religion or region and irrespective of there being a Goan victim or a migrant labourer buried in the debris. There were lives at stake, people died and many others were injured. The incident had raised several serious questions about links between the TCP, government officials and the builders lobby. The shady underbelly of the real estate lobby and their connections with those in power were facing a threat, all of which fell flat because of an insipid and baseless investigation. Justice has been denied to the victims and their families.
Why did the investigation team fail to make a water-tight case despite filing a 2,600-page chargesheet backed with 185 witnesses whose statements were recorded? And what happened to the V K Jha Commission report which blamed the collapse on poor conceptual designs, inherent faulty structural design and defective execution of work at site, besides other factors?
The court, while exposing the shoddy investigation, ruled that the criminal conspiracy angle was not probed and that there is no material on record to suggest such a charge. Similarly, there was no evidence to suggest that the government officials in question were bribed. While questioning the investigating agency if they searched the bank accounts, the court observed that the corruption charge cannot be established and there was nothing on record to show that government officials took money. Procedural and technical irregularities which were pointed out were ruled as subject matter of departmental actions against the government officials, but certainly not criminal action. Even in the case of the contractor, the court observed that sections of culpable homicide not amounting to murder were clubbed together with negligence giving a clear indication that there was confusion in the mind of the investigating agency.
The poor spade work by the investigating agency has let off those accused in the building collapse. It is a sad day for the families of the 31 people who lost their lives and the many others who nearly escaped death only to realise now that there is nobody being held responsible per se. It is only because there was no proper homework done by the probe agency that 10 out of the 11 accused managed to walk free.
Investigations should be carried out in all fairness, irrespective of caste, religion or region and irrespective of there being a Goan victim or a migrant labourer buried in the debris. There were lives at stake, people died and many others were injured. The incident had raised several serious questions about links between the TCP, government officials and the builders lobby. The shady underbelly of the real estate lobby and their connections with those in power were facing a threat, all of which fell flat because of an insipid and baseless investigation. Justice has been denied to the victims and their families.
