policemen
the goan I network
MARGAO
Framing of criminal charges against the 22 accused in the Velim Church attack case could not take place before Judicial Magistrate First Class as all the accused were not present in the court room on Friday.
When the matter came up before JMFC Saee Prabhudesai on Friday noon, only Fr Romano Gonsalves was present in the court room. It was later brought to the notice of the court that one of the accused is presently abroad for the purpose of employment. The court later adjourned the matter to November 3 for framing of charges against the accused.
At the last date of hearing, the court had ordered framing of charges against all the 22 accused persons, including Fr Romano Gonsalves and Fr Lucio Dias in the case.
Incidentally, after the court adjourned the matter, a question did the rounds in the corridor of the court building whether the coalition government headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar would provide relief to the 22 accused in the Velim Church attack case by moving the courts again for withdrawal of the case from prosecution in the light of dropping of the serious charge of attempt to murder by the court.
Hopes were raised in political circles that the government may move the court for withdrawal of the case from prosecution after the government had moved the South Goa Sessions Court with a plea to withdraw the appeal against the JMFC's order to drop charges of attempt to murder against the accused persons.
Some of the accused had pinned their hopes on Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, who were not opposed for the withdrawal of the entire case and not just section 307 of the IPC.
Last time around when the government had moved the court for withdrawal of the case from prosecution, the Director of Prosecution had burnt his fingers after it became apparent that the decision to withdraw the case was taken without taking into confidence the three victim police men, including PI Kapil Nayak.
Both PI Kapil Nayak and Head constable K Rane had opposed withdrawal of the case, leaving the Court with no option than to reject the prosecution's application for the case withdrawal.
