Trial stuck as key accused not produced for hearing
PANAJI
The Additional Sessions court, Mapusa has flagged procedural delays in the prosecution of a high-profile highway attack case linked to the notorious Pardi gang, while also directing police to ensure the physical production of other co-accused lodged in Maharashtra prisons.
The case pertains to an alleged brutal assault on a taxi driver on NH-66 at Malpe in Pernem in July last year, wherein the victim was attacked with a sharp weapon, and the assailants allegedly attempted to rob his vehicle. Police later pointed to the involvement of the Pardi gang. A minor and three others from Maharashtra were also arrested in the aftermath.
As per court records, five accused have been charge-sheeted in the case, including Devgan Vijay Pawar, 25, a resident of Sangli, who was arrested subsequently and named as accused number five.
During the hearing on Friday, Additional Sessions Judge-2, Mapusa Apurva Nagvenkar, noted that the trial has made little headway as three of the accused, currently lodged in a district jail in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, have not been physically produced before the court since November 2025.
The court observed that without their presence, mandatory procedures such as furnishing copies of the chargesheet, providing legal aid and framing of charges cannot proceed, effectively stalling the case.
Police had sought permission to transfer custody of the accused Devgan Pawar to Sangli in connection with another offence registered there. However, the court said that allowing the transfer at this stage would further delay the trial in Goa.
“The procedural hurdles cannot be permitted to sabotage the quest for justice,” the court said, stressing the need for coordinated action between authorities in Goa and Maharashtra.
“...neither this court can proceed with the matter nor the Ld. JMFC, Oras, Sindhudurg, can proceed with the matter in this manner and therefore, some proactive step is required to be taken. This court is committed to return the accused no.5 to JMFC, Atpadi, Sangli, Maharashtra, provided accused nos. 1 to 3 are produced before this court from District Jail, Oras, Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, for mandatory compliance of the provisions,” it added.
In its order, the court directed Pernem police to take immediate steps to secure the presence of the three accused from Maharashtra and produce them before the court on April 24. Only thereafter will the request to hand over custody of the fifth accused be considered.
