Adv Amay Prabhudesai and the accused persons seen after the South Goa Sessions Court pronounced its verdict in the UTAA case. Captured by : Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
The sensational UTAA case, wherein two tribal youth had lost their lives in the infamous May 25, 2011 violent agitation at Balli village called by the tribal organization, has ended in an acquittal.
Principal South Goa District and Sessions Court Judge, Irshad Agha on Wednesday acquitted all the accused charged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the infamous case.
The Principal South Goa Sessions Judge pronounced the verdict in the open court at around 1 pm on Wednesday. All the 13 accused persons, who faced trial in the last 11 years, were present in the court room when Judge Agha pronounced his verdict. While the CBI had charged as many as 15 persons in the case, one of the accused had expired during the pendency of the trial. Another accused was declared as absconder.
The Goa Police had initially registered the death of the two tribal youth as a case of murder. The case was later investigated by the CBI under section 304-II of the IPC for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and for arson.
The Court’s verdict drew curtains down on the 11-year trial of the sensational case. The accused and the Defence lawyer, Adv Amay Prabhudesai heaved a sigh of relief after the Judgement.
“I am happy that the case had ended in the acquittal of my clients. The Court has acquitted all the accused persons, giving them the benefit of doubt,” Amay said.
Adv Amay pointed out that the local residents of Balli had never stopped the UTAA agitators from agitating in the village on May 25, 2011. However, the agitators directed their ire at the police officials and burnt government property and also attacked the locals.
When the media sought to know whether the case filed against his clients from Balli was politically motivated, Adv Amay said “I would not like to say whether the case was politically motivated or not, since there were many political leaders involved in the agitation. But, I would like to say the judiciary gives the verdict based on the facts of the case presented before it by the parties concerned.”
The CBI had examined around 67 witnesses in support of its case, though the prosecution may have cited a total of 85 witnesses in the case.
Asked why it took 11 years for the Court to cap the trial in the case, Adv Amay said changes of Public prosecutors coupled with the fact that the trial was conducted by around 4-5 Judges and the fact that a couple of witnesses were hailing from outside the state, caused the delay. “Even the CBI Investigating officer had to come from Bihar to make his presence felt in the Court room today”, he added.
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