MARGAO
In an interesting development that had an echo in the South Goa sessions court conducting trial in the Panaji police station attack case allegedly involving the Monserrate couples, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) has filed a closure report before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Panaji, in the counter complaint filed by MLA Atanasio Monserrate, wife Jennifer against the police.
Monserrate’s lawyer Adv Arun De Sa was quick to draw attention of South Goa Sessions Judge, Irshad Agha on Friday when the stage was set for cross examination of then former Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Panaji DySP (retired) Mohan Naik.
Making a submission in the Court that the CBI has filed a closure report in the cross complaint wherein DySP Mohan Naik is one of the accused, Adv De Sa submitted that he would file appropriate application on the next date of hearing placing all details before the Court.
The defence also brought to the notice of the Judge that since the special court has been constituted by the High Court to try criminal cases pending against politicians, the CBI sought to have filed the closure report before the trial court. The Judge is believed to have suggested to file a protest report before the JMFC, Panaji if they have objections to the closure report.
Given the submissions made by Adv De Sa, Judge Agha ordered that the witness be bound over and directed SDPO (retired) Mohan Naik to remain present on the next date of hearing on March 15.
One of the defence lawyers later told the media that while the trial is underway against the Monserrate couple and 35 other accused persons in connection with the case investigated by the CBI, the investigating agency has filed a closure report in connection with the cross complaint filed by the Atanasio-Jennifer duo against the police. “We have just received a notice that the CBI has filed a closure report in the cross complaints filed by the Monserrate couple against the police. We have no idea about the contents in the closure report. We will ask for a certified copy of the closure report,” the lawyer said.
He added: “The government had issued a notification appointing the CBI to investigate the attack on the Panaji police station as well as the counter complaint lodged by the Monserrate couples and others. We are surprised that the CBI has now filed a closure report in the counter complaints. We have raised an objection to the closure report as the CBI should have filed the report before the trial court constituted by the High Court.”
