MARGAO
Hearing in the heinous Betalbatim gang rape case was stalled once again on Tuesday for want of a lawyer to defend the three accused persons under the free legal-aid scheme.
For the second time now, lawyers appointed under the free legal-aid scheme have declined to take up the case of the three accused persons -- Ishwar Mackwana (27), Ram Bariya (19) and Sanjeev Pal (23) -- due to their preoccupation. This unusual situation has further delayed hearing of arguments before charge against the accused persons and the commencement of the trial in the heinous gang rape case.
If Adv Peter Fernandes had turned down the offer to represent the three accused persons under the free legal aid scheme due to his preoccupation, city-based lawyer Adv Julius Gomes has also declined to take up the brief for the accused in the case.
When the matter came up for hearing before Additional Sessions Judge Vijaya Amre on Tuesday, there was no lawyer around to represent the three accused persons from Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Public Prosecutor Asha Arsekar said court was informed on Tuesday that a new lawyer has been appointed under the free legal-aid scheme, but the lawyer was not present in the court on Tuesday.
Given the situation, Judge Vijaya Amre has adjourned the matter to September 19 for hearing of arguments before framing of charges against the three accused persons.
Incidentally, it will be two months since the Colva police had filed the chargesheet in the court of law on July 19. While the accused had made their appearance in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Vijaya Amre, the matter is stuck up for want of lawyers to represent the accused persons under the free legal-aid scheme.
The three accused have been charged by the Colva police for gang raping a 20-year-old girl and for assaulting her 22-year-old boyfriend at Betalbatim’s Sunset beach on May 25 night.
In the chargesheet, the Colva police stated that the accused persons on the night of May 24, between 8.20 pm and 8.50 pm, wrongfully restrained the complainant victim and her boyfriend and threatened them with dire consequences before inducing the boy to hand over the keys of the scooter, thereby committing robbery.
The police further stated that the trio assaulted the victim’s boyfriend with fist blows and thereafter they had forceful sexual intercourse with the victim in turns against her wish and consent.
The accused were further accused for forcefully getting the victim and her boyfriend to undress before clicking their photos and video in a semi-nude state.
