MARGAO
The government has finally officially set in motion the process to withdraw from prosecution in the Velim church attack case, with the Assistant Public Prosecutor moving an application before the Margao Court on Friday seeking permission to withdraw the case from prosecution.
Whether the APP’s application will find favour with the court or not will be known on June 6 as the judge is expected to pronounce order in the case on that day.
Moving an application before IIIrd Additional Court headed by Judge Vijaya Shivolkar, Assistant
Public Prosecutor Shilpa Nagvenkar pointed out that it would not be just and fair to proceed with
the trial of the case in order to maintain peace and harmony in the society.
“In view of the directions received from the Prosecution Director and independent consideration of the circumstances which led to the incident, I am of the view that in order to maintain peace and
harmony in society, it would not be just and fair to proceed with the trial of the case,” the APP
submitted in her application.
The APP moved the application after the accused in the case asked the court staff to take up the
matter before the IIIrd Additional Judge on Friday. The proceedings in the Velim church case
were transferred to the IIIrd Additional Court following the transfer of IInd Additional Judge Pooja
Kavlekar to Panaji at the Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Court sources said it is still not known when the government will fill up the vacant post of the IInd
Additional Judge and whether the case will be transferred to the court if the vacancy is filled up
before June 6.
Cuncolim police had charge sheeted 22 persons, including two priests, then Velim church parish priest Fr Romano Gonsalves and South Goa Episcopal Vicar, Fr Lucio Dias, for various offences, including the offence for attempt to murder the CID police personnel at the Velim church.
The accused has been charged under sections 143, 144, 147, 148, 186, 307, 323, 324, 326, 332,
333, 341, 342, 353 read with section 149 of the IPC.
