CANACONA
Chairman of Goa State Commission for SC/ST and BJP State Vice-President Ramesh Tawadkar has been convicted in a case pertaining to assault/criminal force and intimidation at the Canacona police station in 2017.
In the judgement, the Canacona JMFC held Tawadkar guilty and convicted him under Sections 352 and 506 (2) of IPC for assault/criminal use of force and criminal intimidation with a threat to kill.
The point of sentence will be delivered on October 28, according to a source.
In the complaint lodged with Canacona police filed on January 3, 2017, one Puno Molu Velip of Avem-Cotigao complained that while he and a friend were travelling to Chaudi on their motorbike, then minister Ramesh Tawadkar, who was travelling in a red-beacon car, forcibly stopped him at Gudkale-Cotigao.
The complainant alleged that Tawadkar, who was seated in the car, shouted at him to stop, but he ignored Tawadkar’s call and kept on riding his two-wheeler. The complainant said the car overtook their two-wheeler and stopped in front of him, blocking his way and forcing him to stop.
Velip alleged Tawadkar came at him to assault him and also threatened to kill him.
Canacona police registered an FIR and the case was investigated by PSI Damodar Shirodkar. A chargesheet was filed under Sections 341, 352 and 506 (2) of IPC before the JMFC Canacona.
A total of four witnesses were examined by the prosecution and defence. Assistant Public Prosecutor Anirudh Prabhu Chimulkar represented the prosecution, while Adv Prathibha Gane submitted the vakhalatnama on behalf of Tawadkar.
In the judgement, the JMFC judge acquitted Tawadkar in Section 341 (wrongful restraint), but convicted him under Sections 352 for use of criminal force/assault and 506 (2) for criminal intimidation with a threat to kill.
Under Section 352, a convicted person can be imprisoned for a period up to 3 months or a fine, or both, while Section 506 (2) has a maximum sentence of up to 2 years imprisonment or fine or both.
‘Case politically motivated, will appeal in district court’
CANACONA: Insisting that the complaint was one among four politically motivated complaints against him, Chairman of Goa State Commission for SC/ST Ramesh Tawadkar said he would challenge the judgement before a higher court of law.
“I was virtually politically hounded at the time and not just one, but four different politically motivated complaints were lodged against me with a clear intention to defame me and my political career.” “I came out unscathed in three of these complaints which went in my favour.”
“There were moves at that time to drag me politically down and police cases were filed against me at the discretion of my political opponents.”
“This case too was part of that plan orchestrated by my competitor and rival, Vijay Poi Khot, who was also aspiring the BJP ticket to contest the then assembly elections,” Tawadkar told The Goan, without specifying the three other politically motivated complaints against him.
“As there was nothing much in this fourth case too, I did not take much cognisance but since the court has convicted me, I am now waiting for the delivery of point of sentence so that I can approach a higher court,” he added.
Incidentally, Tawadkar had rebelled and eventually contested the last assembly elections in Canacona constituency as an independent candidate against BJP’s candidate Vijay Poi Khot. Both of them lost to then Congress candidate, Isidore Fernandes.
