PANAJI
Alleging police inaction and collusion, an Executive Engineer of the Electricity Department has approached the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA) to seek action against the police officers for failing to register criminal cases related to alleged illegal telecom infrastructure across parts of North Goa.
The applicant, Kashinath Shetye, stated in his petition that he had filed a complaint dated January 17 with the Panaji Police Station and the North Superintendent of Police, seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against M/s Edgecome Telecommunications Pvt Ltd, Ethernet, and others. In a separate complaint on the same date, he sought similar action against M/s Digital Network Associates Pvt Ltd and others.
Shetye further alleged that in another incident, two persons of an internet service provider were caught “red-handed” after an electricity pole fell while cables were being pulled and tied to an old pole at Miramar. In his complaint, Shetye said that the cables belonged to JOSH Alegra, now operating under the name Green Fibre, and were allegedly laid without a licence or permission from the Electricity Department.
The petition accused the companies of laying illegal overhead cables, optical fibre cables and related infrastructure on electricity poles without valid permissions, without conducting requisite surveys and without obtaining stability certificates from the competent authority.
Shetye contended that such unauthorised installations pose a threat to human life, electricity lines, pedestrians and motorists. He also alleged that the illegal infrastructure has caused losses to the State exchequer running into crores of rupees.
The complaint was initially filed before PSI Nitin Naik. However, Shetye alleged that the accused persons invoked their “political connections” and, in conspiracy with the PSI and PI Vijay Chodankar, were allowed to go free without registration of an FIR. He also named North Goa Superintendent of Police Harishchandra Madkaikar, alleging that the officers knowingly disobeyed legal provisions governing registration of offences and shielded the accused from prosecution.
Shetye has urged the SPCA to initiate proceedings against the officers and to commence disciplinary and legal action. He has claimed to possess audio and video recordings in support of his allegations.
