MARGAO
What’s the status of the Betalbatim gang rape case? Is the trial anywhere close to coming to an end or have the proceedings gone haywire like in many a criminal case due to the Covid pandemic? Questions are also being raised if the Goa Police has made any attempts to trace the prime accused Ishwar Makwana who had given the cops a slip while being taken to the hospital?
These and other questions have come to the fore, a day after the rape of the two minor girls at Benaulim beach side in the wee hours of Sunday that triggered shock and outrage.
The gang rape of a 20-year old girl at the Sunset beach, Betalbatim on the night of May 24-25, 2018 by the three accused, all native of Madhya Pradesh, had sent shockwaves in the state around three years ago, with the civil society then demanding death penalty for the rape accused.
Inquiries have revealed that the main accused Iswar Makwana is still at large. Another accused was later found to be minor in age, is being tried under the juvenile justice system.
The Colva police had around 55 witnesses in support of its case in the court. Sources say the examination of the victim is not complete yet and has almost reached the last stage. And, examination of the remaining witnesses will start after the trial resumes as and when the courts reopen for normal functioning.
Public Prosecutor Krishna Sanzgiri, who had conducted the trial on behalf of the prosecution, is due to retire later this month. And, the case will now be taken over by her successor at the fast track court.
The Colva police had filed a charge sheet in the case before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao exactly three years ago In July, 2018.
The South Goa Sessions Court had framed the charges against the three accused three months later on October 18, 2018 and trial in the case had started on November 2, when the examination of the victim girl was conducted in camera.
Says Investigation officer, PI Filomena Costa: “We had carried out the investigations and prepared a full-proof case. The prosecution has a very strong case and I am confident that the accused involved in the heinous crime will be convicted and punished”.
Since the main accused, Ishwar Makwana had given the police a slip while being taken to the hospital at Altinho-Panaji for medical treatment, PI Costa has travelled to Madhya Pradesh at least thrice, with the hope of laying his hands on accused Makwana and bring him home to stand for trial. “Our information suggests that accused Iswar Makwana is a hardened criminal, who has a couple of criminal cases pending against him including robbery and murder. So far, the police could not lay their hands on the accused”, he admitted.
The 20-year-old victim was assaulted by the three accused when she along with her boyfriend visited the Sunset beach, Betalbatim. The three accused targeted the victim and her boyfriend as they were in need of money.
The accused, who were demanding money from the victim and boyfriend, were later nabbed by the Goa police, when they had planned to flee the state. While one of the accused was arrested from Karmali railway station, the remaining came in the police dragnet at Margao on May 17, 2018.
POLICE CHARGESHEET
The three accused.
* The accused on the night of May 24, between 8.20 pm to 8.50 pm, wrongfully restrained the complainant victim and her boyfriend and threatened them with dire consequences before inducing the boy to hand over the keys of the scooter, thereby committing robbery
* The trio assaulted the victim’s boyfriend with fist blows and thereafter they had forceful sexual intercourse with the victim in turns against her wish and consent
* The accused forced the victim and her boyfriend to undress before clicking their photos and video in a semi-nude state
* Accused No 3, Ishwar Mackwana, against whom a number of criminal cases are pending at Indore, including robbery and murder, later demanded an amount of Rs 10,500 from the duo, while threatening to make the photograph and video rival on the social media
