The case pertaining to the Banastarim road mishap which claimed three lives has been transferred from the Mardol police station to the Crime Branch.
This transfer comes in response to a fervent appeal made by Rajesh Faldessai, the MLA representing Cumbharjua. Faldessai spearheaded a delegation that approached Chief Minister Pramod Sawant with a plea to have the case handed over to the Crime Branch of the Goa police.
The victims of the heartbreaking incident were Suresh Fadte and Bhavana Fadte, residents of the constituency that Faldessai represents, and Arup Karmakar. Their lives were tragically cut short when a high-end vehicle collided with their two-wheelers near the Banastarim bridge on the evening of August 6, approximately at 7:30 p.m.
Faldessai emphasised that the Fadte family members expressed their lack of confidence in Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashish Shirodkar and the Inspector of the Mardol police. Their distrust prompted the Chief Minister to take action and facilitate the transfer of the case to the Crime Branch.
Furthermore, the MLA shed light on the ongoing distress of Divar village residents who are resolute in their pursuit of justice for the Fadte family. Faldessai alleged that the Mardol police were seemingly inclined to shield Meghana Sawardekar, the wife of the accused driver involved in the accident, Shripad, also known as Paresh Sawardekar. Notably, Shripad is presently under judicial custody.
In a parallel development, Meghana Sawardekar, the owner of the vehicle, sought anticipatory bail and appeared before the additional sessions judge in Panaji, Ponda. During the hearing, the public prosecutor requested additional time to prepare a response, resulting in a week-long relief granted to Meghana Sawardekar. The subsequent court session to address this matter is scheduled for August 23.
