the goan I network
PANAJI
United Porvorim Citizens Forum (UPCF) on Thursday condemned the interference of Revenue Minister and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte in the case of the assault of Advocate Dr Olave Albuquerque.
Adv Albuquerque, a High Court lawyer, was beaten up by goons on September 27, when he was investigating the case of illegal constructions in Salvador do Mundo. When the advocate went to the Police station to register an FIR, the police refused to do so until three days later, said Avertino Miranda from the UPCF.
The UPCF alleges unnecessary interference from the Revenue Minister who they claim tried to pressurize the Porvorim police station not to register the FIR.
What’s more, the police was quick to register an alleged false FIR on September 27 by Sarpanch Sandeep Salgaonkar, who claimed that he had been assaulted by the lawyer, said Wilbert Ticlo, President of the Forum.
“The Revenue Minister is interfering and pressuring police. He is also threatening people against complaining about the illegal constructions.”
The Forum pointed out that though the lawyer was a victim, he was being made to look like the accused.
Adv Albuquerque had gone to investigate some constructions which were in the No Development Zone (NDZ), under Regional Plan 2021, explained the Forum. As he was trying to expose illegalities and already feared that he would be attacked, the Advocate told ‘The Goan’ via telephone, that he had asked for police protection, but received none.
Minister Khaunte was also seen to be asking police personnel in a video, “Why wasn’t he (Adv Albuquerque) detained after the FIR (by the Sarpanch) was filed against him? Why was he allowed to go for a medical check-up?”
The Adv needed to be taken to a hospital after the assault on him, but Khaunte was seen objecting to that, which the Forum called “inhuman.”
Ticlo demanded that the SP North and the Director General of Police (DGP) take immediate action. “An independent probe needs to be conducted without the interference of the Revenue Minister,” Ticlo told media persons.
“The Minister should allow a fair probe into the matter. It’s not fair that every time we have to run to the judiciary,” he added.
The Forum has also alleged that Sarpanch Salgaonkar’s house is illegal, having being constructed upon the production of forged documents. Like the Sarpanch’s house, the Forum said that at least 20 illegal constructions in eco-sensitive zones in Salvador do Mundo and Porvorim in general.
