MARGAO
The Special Public Prosecutor representing the Railway Protection Force (RPF) once again came under the scanner of a Margao court, this time in the Chandor double tracking case.
If the RPF Special Public Prosecutor invited the wrath of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Margao, Carlo Santana De Silva over his repeated absence in the court in the Arossim double tracking case on Thursday, the Special PP came under the scanner of the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao in the Chandor track doubling case filed against activist Abhijit Prabhudesai, Vikas Bhagat, Freddy Travasso and Diana Tavares.
When the matter came up before the Court on Friday, the Special PP representing the RPF was conspicuous by his absence. A representative of the Special PP submitted before the Judge that the PP is unable to attend the hearing today.
After going through the Roznama records, the Court observed that the Public Prosecutor has remained absent since July 15, 2022, further adding that the proceedings have been obstructed due to the non-appearance of the PP for the last two years.
In fact, the Court observed that the conduct of the Special PP shall be submitted to the appropriate authority, further saying that the accused is at liberty to file appropriate application in terms of law.
Later, the defence lawyer representing the social activists Adv O Rodrigues filed an application before the Court to dismiss the proceedings for lack of prosecution.
Social activist Abhijit Prabhudesai told the media after the Court adjourned the matter to June 17 that the repeated absence of the Special Public Prosecutor in the Court only goes to show that the government is hell bent in meting out harassment to the people of Goa waging a sustained battle to save the State and its environment. “On Thursday, we saw how the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Margao pulled up the Special PP representing the Railway Protection Force for absenting himself from the proceedings in the Arossim track doubling case. Today, the JMFC, Margao trying the Chandor track doubling case has observed that the Special PP has not remained present for a long time. This only goes to show the seriousness of the government,” he said.
Abhijit added: “No matter to what extent the government goes to harass the people fighting to save the environment, Goans are determined to save the State from destruction and to make Goa a coal hub.”
The four activists have been charged by the RPF under Section 146, 147, 174(a) of the Railways Act.
RPF charged protesters with trespassing, squatting, and obstructing railway servants
MARGAO: The case against the four social activists filed by the Railway Protection Force pertains to the historic Chandor midnight agitation wherein thousands of people from across the State had assembled at the railway station to protest against the track doubling project.
In the chargesheet, the RPF had charged around 200 protesters for squatting on the Chandor railway track on the midnight of November 1-2, 2020 with candle light under the leadership of Abhijit Prabhudesai.
The RPF had charged the four activists Abhijit Prabhudesai, Vikas Bhagat, Diana Tavares and Freddy Travasso with offences for allegedly trespassing into the railway property at the Chandor railway gate, for squatting on the railway track and for allegedly obstructing the duties of the railway servant, thereby committing offences punishable under 147, 146 and 174 (a) of the Railway Act, 1989.
The RPF further stated in the chargesheet that the protesters were agitating and demanding stop to the railway doubling work and the transportation of coal through trains on South Western Railway.
The chargesheet further stated that goods train were detained at Vasco, Sanvordem and Kulem railway stations, while the Goa Express was detained at Sanvordem railway station for 48 minutes because of the agitation by the protesters.
