SPs summoned by court over Shetye's plaint against cops

PANAJI
The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Merces, has directed Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Rahul Gupta and Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Harishchandra Madkaikar to remain present before the court on September 29 in connection with a criminal complaint filed by electricity department officer Kashinath Shetye.
Shetye filed the complaint against Gupta, Madkaikar, SP (Crime Branch) Jivba Dalvi and Police Inspector Tushar Lotlikar, alleging that the police failed to register an FIR on his complaint against two officers of the Old Goa Police Station.
The complaint relates to a dispute over alleged illegal landfilling of mangroves and salt pans at Morombi-O-Pequeno in Merces.
Shetye alleged that then Old Goa Police Inspector Gourish Malik and PSI Sanket Pokre misused their official positions and facilitated the registration of a false extortion case against him, while ignoring his complaint arising from the same incident.
Shetye added that he had approached the police alleging that he was assaulted, but his complaint was not registered. Instead, he alleged, an FIR accusing him of extortion and assault was registered against him with "unusual haste".
Police registered the extortion case on the complaint of Yogesh Tigadi, who alleged that Shetye and another person demanded Rs 15 lakh to settle litigation related to the landfilling issue. Tigadi also alleged that he was assaulted after refusing the demand.
Shetye has denied the allegations and maintained that he was the victim in the episode. He has also alleged collusion among police officials and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation through the criminal case.