PANAJI
Over four months after armed goons roughed up a Calangute local, Ravi Shirodkar post-late-night party at Nagoa-Arpora; accused Manoj Singh continues to evade the police. The Anjuna police have failed to arrest the man, who was among several persons involved in the brutal assault.“Manoj Singh is still absconding. He is the close associate of Tarzan Parsekar (prime accused) and if he is released on bail there is every possibility that he may again involve in committing any similar offence, may threaten the witnesses who are residents of Arpora, Nagoa and Calangute and it would be difficult to trace Singh who is absconding since the commission of the crime,” the prosecution submitted to the Fast Track Court (FTC) during the hearing challenging bail application filed by two assailants.
The daring crime, executed barely around 800 metres from a premise that allegedly doubles as a gambling den and allegedly operated by Parsekar, is registered in the name of a politician’s kin and leased to Singh. This same venue is used as a front for running the illegal business. Singh is the brother of notorious criminal Gajendra aka Chotu.
The attack on Shirodkar is believed to be in connection with gambling activities but the Goa police are tight-lipped with the motive of the attack not clear so far. A charge sheet for attempted murder filed against over 14 accused too fails to establish the motive.
The police are on record that the incident on the main road from Calangute to Mapusa has created a wave of terror in the locality and the people are in a state of fear. Moreover, the victim was discharged from GMC Bambolim on October 22, 2022 “ around 20 days after the attack - but is still ‘unstable and struggling for his survival.’
While FTC Judge Shamila Patil has rejected the bail applications of two accused Rahul Mayekar and Brijesh Sawant alias Bittu, she further opined that “If there is sufficient material to point out the guilty finger to the accused in serious offences where the imprisonment is for life it would not warrant a release on bail.”
The Court noted that the accused involved in the offence might tamper with or threaten the witnesses, and not cooperate with the trial.
