PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the officer in charge of Valpoi Police Station to preserve all CCTV footage recorded between April 18 and April 26, 2026, pending hearing of a petition alleging illegal detention and custodial torture of a youth, which allegedly led him to die by suicide.
The interim order was passed on a petition filed by Sofiyan Shaikh, brother of deceased Moin Shaikh, who has also sought transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
According to the petition, Moin was allegedly picked up by PSI Prathmesh Gawas and another officer on the intervening night of April 25-26 and detained at Valpoi police station. He was allegedly assaulted in custody, leaving him physically and psychologically traumatised. The petition claimed the alleged custodial violence eventually led Moin to take his own life on April 28.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on August 20, when it is expected to consider the plea for a CBI probe. The case had triggered protests in May, following which PSI Gawas was transferred to the reserve line at North Goa district headquarters.
