the goan I network
MAPUSA
The trial of former tourism minister Dilip Parulekar in the infamous Serula Comunidade land grab case began with complainant, Aires Rodrigues, deposing before a Mapusa court on Saturday.
Rodrigues deposed before the Judicial Magistrate First Class Shantashri Kudchadkar for more than an hour and will continue doing so at the next hearing scheduled for January 19, 2019.
Parulekar and two other accused, then attorney of Comunidade of Serula, Peter Martins and then Administrator of Comunidade of Bardez, Irene Sequeira were present in the court.
It may be recalled the High Court on June 22 had directed Parulekar and the other two accused to face trial for offences under Sections 119, 120, 420 read with 120-B of the IPC.
Based on the complaint filed by Rodrigues, the Mapusa JMFC on January 16, 2014, had directed Porvorim Police to register an FIR against the three for offences under various sections of the IPC.
In his complaint, Rodrigues had said that 599 sq mt of prime land on the Chogm Road at Porvorim was given away to Parulekar without any auction and without following the procedure and the whole intention was to fraudulently facilitate the doling out of prime Comunidade land to the former minister.
The case against Parulekar was initially probed by the Porvorim Police and later transferred to the crime branch.
In 2016, crime branch sought to close the case but the North Goa Principal District & Sessions Judge rejected the move.
Parulekar directed to sit in the dock
MAPUSA: Former tourism minister Dilip Parulekar had to face an embarrassing moment when the hearing in the Serula Comunidade land grab case began on Saturday, after the judge called him out and directed him to sit in the dock meant for the accused.
When the case proceedings began, Parulekar was seen sitting on one of the benches meant for other litigants. The other two accused were already sitting in the dock.
Parulekar is the accused 1 in the Serula Comunidade land grab case, while Peter Martins and Irene Sequeira are accused 2 and 3 respectively.
