High Court directs EOC to register individual FIRs
the goan I network
PANAJI
The EOC investigating team led by Police Inspector Shivram Vaigankar has been ordered to submit a compliance report within three weeks on completion of the registration of the FIRs.
Drawing the court’s attention to the fact that the Goa Police has yet to seek cancellation of the main accused Nilesh Raikar’s bail, Adv Rodrigues, representing one complainant called for constitution of a Special Investigative Team (SIT) headed by a Superintendent of Police to probe the alleged scam in view of the magnitude of the case.
Offering an insight into the now enlarged scope of the probe, sources from the EOC stated, “We are looking at a mammoth task of registering almost 900 FIRs in three weeks’ time.”
“While the panchnama in each case will be almost similar, the witnesses and all other details will vary as per individual cases. Economic Offences Cell will have to factor in the minute details of each of the cases as per rules even though the offence and the accused are the same.”
In their reply submitted before the HC on Wednesday, the EOC team stated that the number of investors is extremely high even while the subject matter of each case is the same. It was argued that the quantum of punishment will not be higher or lower even if the number of complaints rises.
However, the HC held that registration of individual FIRs allows each complainant the right to withdraw the complaint or act within the set purview therein.
EOC on April 15 earlier in the year had registered an offence under criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy and cheating against the director of Kamaxi Forex, Raikar and directors of Kamakshi Forex, his wife and mother.
Raikar was arrested after he surrendered in mid-April. His wife and mother, who were the sleeping partners in the company were also placed under arrest in the first week of May.
All the three accused have since been granted bail.
