MARGAO
The South Goa Sessions Court has convicted former Raia Sarpanch Esmeralda Gomes for an offense under section 3(1)r and s of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989.
Principal Sessions Judge, Irshad Agha, who is a Special Judge under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act, has now posted the matter for arguments on the point of sentence on November 22.
In this case, the alleged incident had taken place on October 13, 2018, at the Raia Panchayat hall during the meeting of the Village Development Committee.
In his complaint, Anthony Barbosa, a resident of Manora-Raia, had complained that the former Sarpanch had allegedly abused him with filthy language and called him by his caste in full public view and in the presence of panchayat members and public during the Village Development Committee meeting, thereby intentionally insulting and humiliating him as he belongs to the ST community.
Special Public Prosecutor V G Costa, who appeared for the prosecution, examined a total of eight witnesses in support of his case. The defense examined two witnesses.
