MARGAO
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday made a plea to the South Goa Sessions Court to direct the Police Inspector of the Panaji Police Station to produce the original First Information Report (FIR) Register containing FIR No 57/2008 in the police station attack case before the trial court.
In another development, the defence lawyer representing Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserratte and Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate, has filed an application before the Sessions Judge Irshad Agha, seeking directions to the CBI to file before the trial court the closure report on the cross complaint filed by the Monserrate couple before the Panaji police station.
When trial in the case resumed before the Sessions Judge, CBI counsel Noushad filed an application under section 91 of the CrPC seeking directions to the Panaji police station to produce the original FIR register concerning the case. Judge Agha adjourned the matter and fixed the next hearing on March 22 for reply and arguments on the two applications filed by the CBI and the Monserrate couple.
At the last hearing, the lawyer representing accused Atanasio Monserrate had drawn attention of the judge to the closure report filed by the CBI before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Panaji in the cross complaint filed by the Monserrate couple against the police.
In fact, the defence had contended that the CBI should have filed the closure before the trial court since the special court constituted by the High Court was seized of the matter and was conducting the trial in the 2008 police station case.
The defence lawyers had later told the media that though the government had issued a notification appointing the CBI to probe into the Panaji police station attack case and the counter complaints filed by the Monserrates, the CBI has filed the closure report without investigating into the cross complaints.
