MARGAO
The South Goa Sessions Court has allowed Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate to cross examine the prosecution witnesses in the Panaji police attack case on the basis of complaints dated February 22, 2008 and March 1, 2008 and the closure report filed by the CBI before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Panaji.
The Court, however, has not allowed the plea made by the Revenue Minister seeking directions to the CBI to produce the copy of the closure report before the trial court.
The Revenue Minister had filed an application before the Sessions Court seeking directions to the CBI to produce the closure report in his cross complaints lodged against some of the police officials in the case.
In fact, Monserrate’s lawyer had pointed out to the Court that the CBI did not investigate into the cross complaints lodged by him against the police officers and had filed the closure before the Magistrate’s courts sans any investigation or registering a FIR.
“The application filed by Monserrate is partly allowed to the extent that accused no. 1 and 2 are entitled to cross examine the prosecution witnesses on the basis of complaints dated 22.02.2008 and 01.03.2008 and closure report filed by the CBI before the Court of CJM, North Goa, Panaji,” South Goa Sessions Judge Irshad Agha stated in his order.
Meanwhile, Judge Agha has directed to issue letter to the police station in-charge of Panaji police station to produce the original FIR register containing the FIR NO. 57/2008.
The Court had on March 22 had allowed the application filed by the CBI seeking directions to the in-charge of the Panaji police station to produce the original FIR Register/Book containing the FIR registered under Cr No. 57/2008 for the purpose of verification/ comparison.
