PANAJI
A Special Court has framed charges against all eight accused in the case of attempted murder of social activist Rama Kankonkar and rejected a discharge application filed by one of the main accused, Zenito Cardozo, clearing the way for the trial to begin.
“Prima facie case is made out by the prosecution against all the accused to face joint trial in this case and sufficient ground to frame charge,” reads the order by Special Judge Vijaya Ambre.
The case was registered on September 18, 2025, when Kankonkar was brutally attacked by a group of men and subjected to caste-based abuse outside a restaurant at Caranzalem. Panaji police filed a 1,371-page chargesheet in November 2025 against Cardozo and seven others, cited 49 witnesses and included 32 muddemal articles as evidence.
Kankonkar, who spent 23 days in Goa Medical College after the attack, had alleged that the investigation was compromised and claimed his concerns about the possible involvement of politicians were ignored. He also said he had no personal enmity with any of the eight accused and sought an investigation by an independent agency.
Meanwhile, during the hearing on framing of charges, legal representative appearing for Cardozo submitted that “so-called confession of co-accused” is recorded before police and it is hit by sections 22 and 23 of Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.
He argued that even if the charge is framed and Cardozo is directed to face trial, the conclusion of the case will lead to his acquittal and the exercise of him facing trial is of a futile nature, causing him hardship and prejudice.
The Court denied the submission stating that at this stage, it cannot be predicted that trial will result in acquittal and not in conviction. The Court also referred to the prosecution’s submission that the accused with common intention committed the said offence and that too as per the instruction of Cardozo.
“At the stage of framing of charge, there cannot be a roving inquiry into the pros and cons of the matter and weighing the evidence as if trial is being conducted... the Court is not to see whether there is sufficient ground for conviction of the accused or whether the trial is sure to end in his conviction and strong suspicion against the accused, if the matter remains in the region of suspicion, cannot take the place of proof of his guilt at the conclusion of the trial,” it said adding,” But, at the initial stage, if there is a strong suspicion which leads the Court to think that there is ground for presuming that the accused has committed an offence then it is not open to the Court to say that there is no sufficient ground for proceeding against the accused.”
