MAPUSA
The trial in the 2008 Panaji police station attack case against Panaji MLA, Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate and other accused has been adjourned to March 7.
The Additional Sessions Judge Sherin Paul adjourned the matter as some of the accused were not present with few currently abroad.
Panaji MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate and Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate are the main accused in the case which had been pending in the High Court for the last seven years.
The chargesheet against the Monserrates and 35 others was filed by the CBI in 2014.
Justice Manish Pitale of the Bombay High Court at Goa on December 22, last year had dismissed the applications seeking quashing of the proceedings and directed that the trial should commence and be expedited as there was prima facie evidence against the accused.
In February 2008, Babush Monserrate, then MLA of Taleigao had led a morcha before the Panaji police station demanding the release of his supporter, who had allegedly been roughed up by the cops inside the lockup, had turned violent.
Adv Aires Rodrigues, who is the intervener in the case, in a letter petition had brought to the attention of the High Court that the case against the politicians in the State was dragging for a very long time, despite the concern expressed by the Supreme Court about criminalization of politics and directing that the criminal cases against politicians should be fast-tracked.
