the goan I network
MARGAO
Asserting that the discharge of accused Francis Pereira in the desecration cases has raised doubts whether the government had implicated him as part of a script, AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar on Friday demanded that the desecration cases should immediately be handed over to the CBI for free and fair probe.
Saying that Francis has blamed Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral for pressurising the police to frame him in the desecration cases, Girish has demanded that the Chief Secretary and the DGP register FIR against these ministers and MLAs and also against the police officials for extracting confession of the accused at the ‘point of a gun'.
Addressing the media, the AICC Secretary said the claim made by Francis cannot be brushed aside since the Chief Minister, the TCP Minister and MLA Nilesh Cabral had all rushed to the Curchorem police station after the arrest of the accused. "In the first place, they had no right to go to the police station. And, secondly, the discharge of the accused has raised suspicion whether the unfolding developments are all part of the script hatched at the police station," he wondered.
He recalled that when the Congress and BJP Calangute MLA Michael Lobo were demanding CBI inquiry into the desecration cases, the TCP Minister had opposed the demand, saying the local police were quite capable of solving the cases and had in fact announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for the men-in-uniform.
"Let the CBI investigate the case all over again and come on the question whether there was any conspiracy by the two Ministers and the MLA along with police officials to put the blame on Francis. Even MLA Michael Lobo had demanded CBI probe into the case," he added.
He said this is perhaps the first time in the country's legal history that an accused has been left off even without undergoing trial, raising questions whether Francis was forced to own up his involvement in the desecration cases.
"This has raised a doubt whether the scrip to nail Francis was prepared to ensure that some other accused involved in the desecration cases are allowed to go scot free," he further added.
Girish also demanded that the Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral tender an apology to the Church authorities as he had criticised them for raising questions over the investigations in the desecration cases. "The MLA should not only apologise to the Church authorities for his critical comments, but withdraw his statement directed at the Church," he added.
Replying to a question, Girish said he would announce his next course of action in the event the government does not hand over the case to the CBI and register FIRs against the Ministers and MLA, besides police officials for pressurising Francis to own up the responsibility.
