MARGAO
In an interesting development on the formalin in fish controversy, the Fatorda police have submitted to a Margao court that neither details of trucks loaded with fish laced with formalin are known nor any description of the same
has been mentioned in the complaint lodged by city-based lawyer Adv Rajiv Gomes in the case.
In his reply filed to the application of Adv Rajiv Gomes in the court seeking directions to the police to register FIR against those involved in bringing fish laced with formalin, the Fatorda PI Navlesh Desai submitted to the court that it is difficult to trace or to find out which trucks were carrying fish laced with formalin on July last.
PI Navlesh further submitted there is no evidence to suggest that there is conspiracy to lace the fish with formalin and hence no case has been made out for registering an offence under section 120-B of the IPC.
On the registration of the case, PI Navlesh said unless and until there is a clear indication or report by the competent authority, the issue of the fish laced with formalin cannot be decided and hence the complaint has to be referred to the Food and Drugs Administration for proper examination. The police further submitted that since a similar issue (formalin matter), which Adv Gomes has raised before the court is pending before the HC, the police have called for the dismissal of the application filed by Adv Gomes with exemplary costs.
The matter will now come up for hearing on March 5.
