------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | New on Goanet's website's A&E section - http://www.goanet.org | | Book in Review: A Kind of Absence - Joao da Veiga Coutinho | | POEM: SUSEGAAD - Cynthia Gomes James | | http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=216 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://oheraldo.in/node/8680
Chodankar flays cops for going slow in Neri case HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, JAN 15 The sloppy handling of Velim MLA Felipe Neri Rodrigues signature forgery case by the police has exposed the department's special treatment of BJP functionaries, according to Youth Congress chief in Goa Girish Chodankar. Chodankar was reacting to the High Court order granting anticipatory bail to BJP general secretary Satish Dhond and Tivim MLA Sadanand Shet Tanavade. Chodankar charged that the same police had shown extra enthusiasm and worked overtime in arresting Sonmath Zuarkar, Mauvin Godinho and Dayanand Narvekar during the BJP rule. He also said that the observation made by the court clearly exposes that the police department is still working overtime to protect BJP, while citing the order which states that "The facts show that they were pampered. Otherwise it is unheard of that a police officer will record statements of accused as and when desired by an accused and being assisted by his advocate" this strong observation talks very loudly how police machinery is working in Goa. The court also blamed the state and police for slow probe bringing investigation to standstill. He said, police inaction for not arresting accused Dhond and Tanavade when both were moving freely has been also observed in the order. This has frustrated the common man and that is why he said, he was demanding Tanavade's arrest at Assembly complex which resulted in an attack on me by BJP MLAs at the Assembly complex. With this strong observation he declared "my demand to arrest Mr Tanavade is justified". Chodankar strongly demanded that the Chief Minister who is holding the home ministry to make a note of the court observations on police in delaying the investigation and not arresting the accused required in the most sensitive forgery case wherein MLA Felipe Neri had to be disqualified for nearly seven months and had to also resign as deputy chief minister. He said, this is not the only fall out of the case, what is more important is that the State government had to be dismissed. Police deliberately never thought the urgency and the seriousness of the case, he added. Chodankar further said that it is high time that the chief minister act tough to bring back confidence in the public about the police in Goa. -- Cheers, Gabe Menezes. London, England
