the goan I network
MARGAO
The Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao on Thursday dismissed the application filed by city-based lawyer, Adv Rajiv Gomes for a police probe into the formalin in fish row that had erupted at the wholesale fish market last year.
Adv Rajiv had moved the court with a plea seeking direction to the Fatorda police to register an FIR against the fish mafia responsible for importing the fish into the wholesale fish market on July 12 last year after test conducted by FDA officer Iva Fernandes proved positive.
While the city-based lawyer had argued how formalin in fish is posing a health hazard to the fish eating people of Goa, Senior Public Prosecutor, Subhash Desai had vehemently opposed the application on grounds it was not maintainable in law and was devoid of any merits.
While opposing the application, the senior public prosecutor had contended that the actual incident had occurred on July 12, 2018, while the complaint in this regard was lodged belatedly, saying it was an afterthought and filed with malafide intention.
PP Desai had argued that the complaint was vague and sketchy was that on names of suspects was specified in the complaint nor the registration numbers of the vehicles that were involved in the transportation of the fish had found mention in the complaint.
PP Desai had further argued that no documentation pertaining to use of formalin in fish was produced. On the other hand, he had contended that analytical report of senior scientific officer Chandrakant Kambli was negative with regard to the fish tested by him.
That’s not all. PP Desai had claimed during arguments that formalin is a natural breakdown product found in marine fish and that the FDA was the proper authority to deal with scrupulous traders or suppliers dealing with noxious fish or food posing threat to human life.
Battle against formalin in fish
not over yet: Adv Gomes
MARGAO: City-based lawyer, Adv Rajiv Gomes has vowed to take the battle forward, saying the battle against formalin in fish is not over yet.
“The court order dismissing my application was not totally unexpected as the court must have relied on the statement made by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) that formalin found in fish is within permissible limits,” Adv Rajiv told the media after the court order dismissing his application for registration of FIR in the case.
He, however, made it clear that the battle is far from over, disclosing plans to file a revision petition before the South Goa Sessions Court against the JMFC’s order. “I and the people of Goa feel that formalin was genuinely present in the fish when it was tested on July 12, last year. The people know that formalin poses a health hazard and how it was twisted by the vested interests,” he added.
