MARGAO
He had heaved a sigh of relief when the courts discharged him in nearly a dozen cases of desecration of religious places. Even as Francis alias Boy Pereira is fighting in the courts of Quepem, Sanguem and Canacona for relief in the remaining desecration cases, he is bracing up for yet another battle “ this time to counter the move of the Goa police to extern him from South Goa district jurisdiction for a period of two years.
Reason: District Police Chief, SP Arvind Gawas, has moved the South Goa District Magistrate Anjali Sehrawat to extern Francis from South Goa jurisdiction on grounds that he has been involved in serious crimes several times and continues with his criminal activities with impunity. “He is reported to be constantly and regularly figuring adversely on police report for his acts of lawlessness,” SP Gawas stated in his report to the District Magistrate.
Moreover, the police has contended that Francis along with his associates has been posing constant hazard in the maintenance of public peace in the locality and his movements are causing alarm and fear in the minds of the public that there are reasonable grounds to believe that he may engage in commissioning of cognizable and non-bailable offenses.
“The preventive measures initiated against him have reportedly not been sufficient in controlling and preventing his criminal activities. The witnesses are also reportedly reluctant to come forward to give evidence against him on account of intimidation and threats given by him,” the District Magistrate stated in her show cause notice issued to Francis.
The South Goa Magistrate stated in the show cause notice that she is prima facie satisfied that it will not be possible to curb his unlawful activities and preventing him from committing breach of peace and public order with the provisions of ordinary law, unless he is removed from the jurisdiction of South Goa district under the Goa Maintenance of Public Order and Safety Act, 1988.
Given the situation, the District Magistrate has now asked Francis to show cause on March 28 as to why an order under section 4 of the Goa Maintenance of Public Order and Safety Act, 1988, should not be passed directing to remove him from the jurisdiction of South Goa for a period of two years, failing which the proceedings will be conducted ex-parte.
Adv Eric Coutinho, the lawyer representing Francis, has cried foul over the show cause notice of Collector based on the police report. “I fail to understand how the Goa police can move for externment of Francis when he has been discharged from nearly a dozen cases of desecration.
He is also not involved in any criminal cases warranting his externment,” Adv Eric contended.
SP Arvind Gawas, however, has begged to differ. “The police has moved for the externment of Francis given his criminal background. Many a time, people get discharged or acquitted on technical grounds and for want of evidence. That does not mean an accused will not resort to unlawful activities. Moreover, the Act provides for externment of persons on suspicion that he may be involved in property offenses and in unlawful activities,” SP Gawas said, adding “the police has moved the proposal and it is for the Magistrate to decide”.
