Additional district judge Margao Sherine Paul on Tuesday acquitted Anthony Gomes (26), resident of Sao Jose d’Areal and Salim Sandi (23), resident of Aquem-Baixo, in a 2014 case of abduction and murder of one Clemente Gomes.
the goan I network
MARGAO
Maina-Curtorim Police had booked the offence under Section 302 (murder), 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) read with 34 (common intention) of IPC against the two accused.
According to the case papers, the two accused abducted Gomes on their motorcycle on April 19, 2014, at around 10.50 pm and took him to an isolated spot in Curtorim. Gomes was then assaulted by the accused causing
his death.
After committing the offence, the accused pulled off the pants, shorts, undergarments and wallet of the deceased and attempted to destroy evidence by throwing these items in nearby bushes and thickets.
It later came to light that the deceased had publicly abused the two accused at a pub in Malbhat. The defence lawyers Adv Amey Prabhudesai and Adv J Gomes sought to point out that the case rests on the evidence that the deceased was last seen together with the two accused before his death. However, it was pointed out that the body of the deceased was discovered at least nine hours after the three persons were spotted together. The defence lawyers also observed that the prosecution witness, who stated that he had seen the three together, had spotted them at the venue of a local theater event and argued that it cannot be established beyond doubt that the witness had seen the three persons in a huge crowd.
On the other hand, the prosecution examined 19 witnesses to support its case. PI Harish Madkaikar and PSI Gurudas Kadam of Maina Curtorim police station investigated the case.
