MARGAO
The BJP-ruled Margao Municipal Council is back in the news once again, but for a different reason.
Margao Municipal Chief Officer Melvyn Vaz on Monday lodged a complaint against senior Margao Municipal Councillor Sadanand Naik for allegedly assaulting and threatening Municipal Engineer, Grade-II Vinay Desai in his chamber while on duty.
Sadanand, however, has firmly denied the allegations of assault on Vinay Desai, claiming that he only had a verbal argument with the engineer. Sadanand’s wife, Babita, who is the MMC Vice-Chairperson, also denied that her husband was involved in the assault on the engineer.
The incident allegedly took place on November 22 at around 1.30 pm and had been a talking point in the corridors of the Municipal building and outside. The Chief Officer’s complaint comes after Municipal Engineer Vinay Desai submitted a letter to him detailing the alleged violent incident that had occurred in the Chief Officer’s chamber.
In the complaint, Chief Officer Vaz stated that one of the officers, Vinay Desai, working as Municipal Engineer Grade II, was assaulted and threatened with filthy words by Councillor Sadanand Naik in his presence and in his chambers while on duty on Nov 22, 2024 at around 1.30 pm.
The Chief Officer further alleged in his complaint that the Municipal Engineer was kicked by Sadanand and thrown towards his chair, hitting his elbow. Vaz further stated that the Councillor also made serious threats before Sadanand Naik was taken out of his chambers by fellow councillors.
Even as the MMC Chief Officer has urged the Margao Police station in-charge to take appropriate action as per the law, the police have stated that the matter is under inquiry.
When 'The Goan' called up Margao Police station in-charge, PI Tulsidas Desai, to shed light on the complaint lodged by the MMC Chief Officer against Councillor Sadanand Naik, he said the matter is under investigation.
Meanwhile, Councillor Sadanand Naik told 'The Goan' that he was not involved in any assault in the MMC Chief Officer’s chamber on November 22. “I had only questioned the Municipal Engineer over certain files and the inspections he was conducting in the Housing Board ward,” he said.
