Fatorda cop gets earful from judge in case against minister Vijai Sardesai

COLVA: South Goa Principal Sessions judge, B P Deshpande, reprimanded Fatorda police inspector, Navlesh Desai for not providing copy of his reply to the complainant advocate Aires Rodrigues, who had approached the court seeking investigation against Town and Country Planning minister, Vijai Sardesai in an alleged corruption case.

Rodrigues had accused Sardesai of hatching a criminal conspiracy and committing cognizable offences under certain sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case has now been posted for hearing on November 3 for final arguments.

The court said that the police should have given a copy of its reply to the complainant.

Desai in his reply to the court stated that as the complainant submitted only a video voice clip as proof, no cognizable offence can be made out to register a first information report (FIR) against Sardesai. Further, he stated that Sardesai uttered only four to five sentences, and the rest of the conversion was by Kashinath Shetye.

Aires had approached the court as the Fatorda police failed to register an FIR against Sardesai and some unknown persons. He had maintained that the recorded conversation between Sardesai and Shetye prima facie reveals a conspiracy and commission of illegal acts that come under cognizable and non-bailable offence category.

It was pointed out in the complaint that the conversation exposes criminal conspiracy and commission of illegal acts in converting open spaces at Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) estate at Verna. It also alleged illegal allotment of plots indicating cash transactions to the detriment of GIDC and state exchequer with Shetye even claiming that Parrikar had offered him Rs 1.25 crore.