PANAJI
Three days after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured a magisterial inquiry into the assault on Advocate Gajanan Sawant, the Goa government on Friday issued an order directing North Collector Mamu Hage to conduct an inquiry into the incident.
The District Magistrate is also asked to investigate the First Information Report (FIR) against Adv Sawant for allegedly slapping the policemen on duty.
“The government taking cognizance of the recent incident of the alleged assault on Advocate Gajanan Sawant by the officials of Porvorim Police Station and a counter complaint of assault by Sawant has decided that there is a need to conduct a magisterial inquiry…” the order signed by Under Secretary (Home-I) Vivek Naik said.
The Magistrate is directed to inquire into the incident on three references “ to ascertain if there was any misuse of authority by the concerned police officials, to investigate the FIR filed by both parties and to ascertain if there was any violation/lapse by the police personnel.
Hage is directed to submit the report to the government within six weeks from the date of the issue of the order.
The department has come under severe criticism from the legal fraternity who staged a silent protest outside the Crime Branch this week demanding the arrest and suspension of the errant cops.
The Goa High Court Bar Association sought a Magisterial Inquiry headed by the District Collector even as the Goa Police last Saturday transferred the case to the CB for an ‘impartial investigation’ barely two hours after Porvorim police registered a case of attempted murder against head constable Sandip Parab, three unidentified personnel and two others.
In a meeting with the members of the lawyers’ body, Sawant had assured of a magisterial probe. The police department thereafter suspended the accused.
