Former DySP, Panaji, Mohan Naik walks towards the South Goa Sessions Court to depose in the Panaji police station attack case. Captured by : Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Former sub-divisional police officer, Panaji, DySP (retired) Mohan Naik on Friday submitted before the South Goa Sessions Court in the Panaji police station attack case that then Taleigao MLA Atanasio Monserrate had made an inflammatory address to the mob that "the government should be taught a lesson" if the accused who were responsible for the attack on a person were not handed over to them.
The then Panaji SDPO further said that Monserrate told the mob outside the police station that Home Minister Ravi Naik is doing nothing in the matter as the later wanted a law and order problem. The former cop, however, said that the Taleigao MLA, in his speech, had maintained then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat had told him that the police had arrested the two accused persons.
During the deposition, Naik came out of the witness box in the open court presided by Sessions Judge, Irshad Agha to identify some of the accused persons seated in the accused box by names. Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate and wife Jennifer were not present in the court room since they have got exemption from appearing in the case.
In his submission, the retired DySP said Monserrate told the crowd before the attack on the Panaji police station that "it is now the turn of the people to take action" since the police were not acting in the matter. He said Monserrate made a reference to a movie wherein people take action against criminals for want of a police station.
Naik made a submission that Monserrate further told the crowd that the people will be compelled to enter the police station to take custody of the two accused arrested in the case. “The mob shouted, demanding that the police hand the accused. I repeatedly told the MLA in a polite manner to disperse from the scene by promising a detailed inquiry against the policemen,” Naik told the judge.
After he identified a couple of accused by their names, Naik submitted that those identified by their faces and names had actively participated in the attack on the police station. Deposition of the retired DySP will continue at the next hearing scheduled on March 1.
