PANAJI
History-sheeter Zenito Cardozo, involved in over a dozen crimes within and outside Goa including the 2020 shootout case in St Cruz, has won an appeal against an externment proceeding against him.
North Goa Collector Mamu Hage imposed Rs 2 lakh bond for good behaviour for a minimum of six months while dismissing the case put forth by Goa Police. On failing to comply with the conditions, Hage has directed the police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against him and forfeit the bond amount.
Sources said that prior to the 2022 General Assembly elections, the North District Police had recommended externment proceedings against Cardozo and several other criminals, of whom some including Cardozo filed an appeal.
Cardozo is allegedly involved in several heinous crimes from murder, attempted murder, extortion, threat, vandalism, criminal conspiracy, assault, etc. He was also arrested under the National Security Act in 2013, which was subsequently challenged by the accused before the Bombay High Court at Goa. In the same year, the High Court quashed the District Collector’s order. Goa Police’s second attempt to book him under the NSA failed when the District Magistrate in 2017 rejected the plea after an extensive hearing into the application.
Earlier, the police moved another externment recommendation against Cardozo, Samuel D’Souza, and Alex D’Souza alias Ronny -- all charged with attempted murder; and Marcelino Dias -- booked for murder in the fatal shooting at St Cruz on June 20, 2020.
Dias had accidentally shot his own gang member Sonu Yadav when the gang members reached their rival Imran Bepari's house on the fateful night.
The violence in the residential area was a result of a gang fight between the two groups, one of which was allegedly led by Cardozo. Bepari also faced externment proceedings before the District Magistrate.
