PANAJI
Goa currently tops the list among the country's small States which has the highest number of legislators with serious criminal cases against them and has even beaten all the militancy-hit north-east States in this dubious trait.
In the list of States with MLAs having cases reported against them, Goa ranks second, according to a recent report released by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) after the Karnataka election.
Of Goa's 40 MLAs, as many as 13 (33%) have 'serious' criminal cases pending against them and a total of 16 (40%) who have reported a criminal record.
All the North Eastern States average between 3-18% of their MLAs tainted with criminal cases pending against them.
Murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and crimes against women among others are bracketed as serious criminal cases.
At least two ministers in the Dr Pramod Sawant Cabinet -- Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate -- have been chargesheeted and face trial in serious cases.
While Godinho is undergoing trial in a Margao court for the case related to the power subsidy scam, Monserrate is being tried for the charge of rape of a minor.
Monserrate is also the prime accused along with his wife Jennifer among several others in the infamous Panaji police station attack case which is also at the trial stage.
The report released by ADR recently states that of all the 4,001 MLAs in India analysed, 44% of them (1,777 MLAs) have declared criminal cases pending against them. Of these, 28% have serious criminal cases pending against them.
Among the larger States, Bihar tops with 50% of its MLAs declaring that they have serious criminal cases pending. It is followed by Maharahstra which has 40% of MLAs with serious criminal cases against them.
