MARGAO
Decks have been cleared for the resumption of hearings and pronouncement of orders under the National Security Act against the 10 persons from the South Goa district, including a couple of notorious history-sheeters, after the government empowered the South Goa district Magistrate as a Competent Authority under the Act.
The names of these 10 persons, including five from the police stations of Margao, Colva, Mormugao and Vasco were recommended by the office of the South Goa district Police for their detention under the NSA.
Inquiries have revealed that the government notification empowering the South Goa district Magistrate as a competent authority under the NSA comes against the backdrop of the fact that the previous notification in this respect had lapsed in April.
For, records pointed out that last order was issued by the Under Secretary (Home-II) Eshant V Sawanton January 18 and the same expired three months later in April. “The order issued by the Home department empowering the South Goa Magistrate as a competent Authority will facilitate resumption of hearings in NSA matters and pass appropriate orders. These are routine orders issued by the Home department since the year 2012”, informed a senior district official.
Inquiries have revealed that hearings pertaining to five NSA matters have been going on for quite some time in connection with the five cases recommended by the office of South district police to detain the persons under the NSA Act.
Of the five cases, two were recommended by the Margao Police, one by the Colva police and one each by the Vasco and Mormugao police stations over the last two years.
District police Chief, SP Pankaj Kumar Singh, however, said a total of 10 cases were recommended by his officer for the detention of the persons under NSA. “The order issued by the Home Department is a routine matter and is being issued by the Home department from time to time. You can check that hearings under the NSA were already underway in the10 cases recommended by the South district police. This is not something new”, SP Pankaj K Singh asserted.
Another police officer remarked that the hearings would have not resumed in the 10 cases recommended by the district police if the Home Department had not to issue the order last week, empowering the District Magistrate to hear and decide on the NSA cases.
Records indicates that the district Magistrate had been presiding over the hearings of the NSA cases over the last couple of months since the cases were instituted by the district police. “The order issued last week will only facilitate the Magistrate to resume the hearings and pass appropriate orders”, a senior official informed.
