Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pernem has convicted self-styled RTI activist Deepak Gadekar under Section 353 of the Indian Penal Code in a September 2012 case for preventing a motor vehicle inspector from discharging his duties at the RTO check post at Dhargal.
PANAJI
Gadekar has been sentenced to undergo two months imprisonment.
The Court has also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 while ordering Gadekar to pay an additional Rs 5,000 as compensation to RTO inspector Ravindra Satardekar.
As per the chargesheet filed by Pernem Police, the incident occurred at around 4.15 pm on September 2, 2012 at RTO check post at Dhargal where Motor Vehicle Inspector Satardekar was posted on duty along with his attendant Manoj Sawant. Two persons led by Gadekar entered the check post and began questioning Satardekar in a loud voice about the vehicles stopped outside the office.
Gadekar held a handy-cam and began taking a video shoot of the premises. He refused to disclose his identity and stated that he was an NGO president.
Several vehicle owners had gathered at the RTO check post to make payments. Gadekar told them to leave.
Gadekar told the RTO officer to open the drawers in the office and their registers.
On his persistence, Satardekar opened the drawers and the accused Gadekar
began checking the two
books which were in the drawer and left the office ten minutes later.
