MARGAO
Government-appointed Special Public Prosecutor in the Cricket Ticketgate case, Adv Vinay Borkar, who has withdrawn from the prosecution, has said that a host of factors has contributed to the delay in the disposal of the sensational case in the last two decades.
Speaking to The Goan, Adv Borkar said failure to get the witnesses, especially the outstation ones, to depose in support of the prosecution caused huge delay in bringing the trial to an early end.
Appointed way back in 2006 by the government to conduct the prosecution in the sensational case, Adv Borkar said he had asked the government to relieve him from the case since he has other matters as well.
“Normally, the case used to come up for hearing every Friday. Many a time, the summons issued to the witnesses had returned unserved. Then came the pandemic, further delaying the trial. These and other factors had contributed to the delay in the quick disposal of the case and my decision to withdraw,” he added.
Saying that the prosecution had cited around 200-odd witnesses in support of its case, Adv Borkar said around 100 more witnesses still remain to be examined. “The police did not evince much interest in the case when the Investigation Officer had retired from service. Another police officer, closely associated with the case, had expired during the pendency of the case. Attempt to put a system wherein the police would coordinate with the prosecution could not work, resulting in further delay,” he added.
The fake cricket case had rocked the state on April 6, 2001 during the ODI match between India and Australia played at the Nehru stadium, Fatorda when the police had to lathi charge spectators with genuine tickets, who were left outside on the premise that the stadium was full to its capacity.
Inquiries by the Margao police later revealed that a thousands of fake tickets were allegedly in circulation, resulting in the genuine ticket holders being left out of the stadum.
After investigations, the Margao police had later charged then Goa Cricket Association President, Dayanand Narvekar and GCA officails, including Ramshankar Das and Vinod Phadke for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy with the ticket contractor, Chinmay Fallari for the sale of tickets by manipulation in the tender for a consideration of Rs 68 lakhs.
The police further charged the trio for intentionally placing orders for 29,000 tickets and complimentary passes before Hitech print system, Hyderabad beyond the capacity of the stadium, which was put at 27,300 spectators.
