PANAJI
A special team of Crime Branch (CB) has begun an investigation into the assault on a practicing advocate wherein six persons, two of whom are the men in uniform attached to the Porvorim police station are named as accused.
Police sources said that personnel from the rank of constables to Additional Superintendent of Police were at the crime scene on Monday to understand the chronology of the incident and collect evidence.
"We are collecting evidence from the site where Advocate Ganjanan Sawant was allegedly assaulted. Appropriate action against the accused will be taken thereafter," a senior CB officer said.
The department has come under severe criticism from legal fraternity demanding arrest and suspension of the errant cops while The Goa High Court Bar Association has sought a Magisterial Inquiry headed by District Collector.
The Goa Police last Saturday transferred the case to the Crime Branch for an ‘impartial investigation’ barely two hours after Porvorim police registered a case of attempted murder among other sections of the Indian Penal Code against head constable Sandip Parab, three unidentified personnel and two others.
While the victim blamed the policemen for brutal assault, the staff at the local police station argued that Adv Sawant provoked the policemen, who arrived to attend to a “civil matter” between tenants and individuals of an apartment at Porvorim.
Vasco Advocates Association Monday evening also condemned the brutal attack on Mapusa-based lawyer Gajanan Sawant and demanded that policemen involved in the attack be immediately arrested.
Addressing the media, VAA Secretary Adv. Chetan Palekar said an urgent managing committee meeting was convened on Monday at Bar Room Vasco Court to condemn the brutal attack by the police personnel on Adv Gajanan Sawant, who is the member of Mapusa Bar Association, while performing his professional duty.
