Chandor agitation case adjourned as IO remains absent

Social activists Abhijit Prabhudesai, Sabita Mascarenhas, Freddy Travasso returning from the Margao Civil and Criminal Court building along with their lawyers after the adjournment of the Chandor case hearing.

MARGAO
Social activists charged by the Goa Police in the historic Chandor midnight agitation against double tracking returned home from the court without any hearing for want of the investigating officer.

When the matter was called by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Margao on Tuesday evening, the investigating officer, Maina-Curtorim PI Arun Desai was found absent. Assistant Public Prosecutor submitted before the court that the investigating officer is on his way to the court. PI Desai, however, did not turn up as a result of which the matter was adjourned to October 7.

Activists Abhijit Prabhudesai, Sabita Mascarenhas and Freddy Travasso, who were present in the court room, returned back without the hearing taking place.

Incidentally, the Maina-Curtorim PI Arun Desai was told to appear in the Court in connection with the application filed by the police to conduct further investigations into the 2020 Chandor agitation case.

Incidentally, the Maina-Curtorim police had filed the plea for further investigations in January this year. While the activists charged in the case have objected to the application, the Court is yet to pass an order on the matter.

In the plea, the Maina-Curtorim police had sought court’s permission to conduct further investigations into the case. The police stated that the then Police Inspector, along with PIs and staff from other police stations, had reported for bandobast duty at the Chandor outpost. However, the station diary extracts of the deputed PIs and staff was inadvertently not collected during the investigation.

The police stated these extracts are crucial to verify the presence of the complainant and witnesses at the time of the crime. Additionally, the statements of the Salcete Joint Mamlatdars, who are key eyewitnesses, have yet to be recorded.

The police argued that allowing the application would not prejudice the accused, as the defence has not been disclosed.