the goan I network
MARGAO
Superintendent of Police, Umesh Gaonkar has retired from service in the Goa Police on Friday, but the Ticketgate which he had investigated over 17 years ago when he was the in-charge of Margao police station after the fake cricket ticket scandal rocked the State on April 6, 2001 is still dragging on in the trial court.
Leave alone SP Umesh Gaonkar, many a public prosecutor, who had represented the State in the infamous case involving then Goa Cricket Association chief Dayanand Narvekar and other eight others, have retired from service, but the case drags on, with the conclusion of the trial nowhere in sight.
Sources in the know said the retirement of SP Umesh Gaonkar will not prove fatal to the case, as the retired officer can be examined in the court any time after retirement. In his absence, the incumbent in-charge of the Margao police station is expected to pursue the case, more so in matters relating to serving summons to the witnesses, both within and outside the State.
The fact, however, remains that curtains are yet to come on trial in the infamous cases, over 17 years after the Ticketgate has rocked the State on April 6, 2001 during the India-Australia ODI match at the Nehru stadium.
Inquiries have revealed that the conduct of the trial on a weekly basis had to some extent helped to examine a number of prosecution witnesses from both within the State and outside. As things stand today, around 60 prosecution witnesses have been examined by the trial court till date out of the 250 witnesses cited in support of the case. Presently, the prosecution case is being conducted by Special Public Prosecutor Adv Vinay Borkar and assisted by Adv Pritam Moraes.
Sources in the know, however, say the prosecution now faces a herculean task to examine the remaining 150 witnesses as the delay in the disposal of the case has only made matters worse for the prosecution, with many a witnesses unable to recall the exact incident or identify the persons responsible for selling the fake tickets due to the long delay.
The Goan understands that even if the prosecution resolves to examine only the material and key witnesses, around 100 witnesses will still have to be examined in support of the prosecution case.
The Margao police had charged Narvekar, Ramshankar Das and Vinod Phadke for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy with the ticket contractor, Chinmay Fallari for the sale of tickets by manipulation in the tender for a consideration of Rs 68 lakh.
The police further charged the trio for intentionally placing orders for 29,000 tickets and complimentary passes before Hitech print system, Hyderabad beyond the capacity of the stadium, which was put at 27,300 spectators.
In execution of the criminal conspiracy, the excess tickets numbering 1650 worth Rs 9.37 lakh were allegedly unauthorisedly diverted to accused Eknath Naik, the brother-in-law of Dayanand Narvekar for sale. The police alleged that Eknath sold the tickets for higher premium to the general public.
