OLD GOA
Hundreds of lawyers assembled outside the Crime Branch office in Ribandar seeking the arrest and suspension of the main accused cop involved in the assault on Advocate Gajanan Sawant.
However, they were made to slug it out for several hours, even meeting the CM Pramod Sawant in between, in the hope that their demands would be met.
Finally, after spending over five hours outside the Crime Branch, the lawyers dispersed from the site after it was informed that a petition has been filed in the High Court seeking suo moto action in the matter.
The HC will take up the matter for hearing on Wednesday at 10.30 am and the lawyers have decided to wait for the decision of the court before deciding on the future course of action.
Earlier, the lawyers from all over the State, started arriving at the Crime Branch office in the morning at around 11 am and within a few minutes there were hundreds of them assembled.
However, the police were prepared and were summoned in numbers to the site. They placed blockades at the entrance leading to the Crime Branch and did not allow the lawyers to gain entry, due to which the lawyers assembled outside the building housing the health centre.
A delegation of the lawyers headed by Advocate Rupesh Raut, president of Mapusa Advocates Association, was allowed to meet Additional SP (Crime) Raju Raut Dessai, where they had discussion on the matter.
After emerging from the meeting, Adv Raut informed that SP Dessai had informed that the statement of the victim is being recorded and it would take some time.
“As we feel that nothing is going to work out any soon at the Crime Branch, we have decided to meet the chief minister,” Adv Raut informed and urged the other Advocates to wait at the Crime Branch.
Later, a delegation led by Adv Raut then proceeded to meet the CM.
After meeting the CM at his official bungalow in Altinho, Adv Raut and others arrived at the Crime Branch and informed the lawyers assembled that the CM has promised for an impartial magisterial inquiry into the matter along with suspension of the accused.
The lawyers were then asked to disperse from the protest site. However, some lawyers were seemingly not happy with the decision as they said that their demand is that the main accused has to be arrested and not just suspended.
“We have assembled here to demand that the main accused be arrested and suspended, a resolution which was passed at the lawyers’ forum too,” Adv Vinayak Porobo informed and added that they are sticking to their demand.
Adv Shashank Narvekar too said that they are not satisfied with whatever has transpired and they are continuing with their protest till their demand of arrest and suspension of the main accused is met.
As some lawyers dispersed from the site, others stayed behind.
At this moment, a new information was shared with the protesting lawyers that a petition has been moved in the High Court seeking suo moto action in the matter after which it was decided that they will wait till the HC gives its decision.
It was later informed that the HC will hear the matter on Wednesday at 10.30 am where the lawyers have decided to assemble, following which the advocates dispersed from the protesting site at Crime Branch.
But the lawyers have informed that they will continue with their agitation if the need arises.
