‘Appoint SPP for fair trial in Goa power scam case’

The Goa Vigilance Department has asked the Under Secretary (Home) to take action to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor for the upcoming trial in the power scam, in which the main accused is Goa’s Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho. The trial set to commence on June 15 before the North Goa Principal Sessions Judge.

Additional Director Vigilance S.P. Goltekar has forwarded to the State Home Department the representation made by activist lawyer Aires Rodrigues seeking the SPP’s appointment for a fair trial. The representation had earlier been sent to the State Chief Secretary.

In his letter to the Chief Secretary on April 26, Advocate Rodrigues pointed out that as the complainant in the case, Manohar Parrikar, is now the Chief Minister and the accused, Mauvin Godinho, is a Cabinet Minister, there was apprehension of the trial not being fair.

Advocate Rodrigues said for the trial to be free and fair, a SPP had to be appointed. He said Mr. Godinho should have resigned or been sacked as in a 2014 judgment, the Supreme Court had advised against inducting people facing trial as Ministers.

On January 17 this year, a Bench comprising Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer declined to give relief to Mr. Godinho in the Special Leave Petition he had filed in 2007. The court, however, upheld the High Court order directing framing of charges against him.

Mr. Godinho was then Power Minister in the Congress government and Mr. Parrikar as the leader of the Opposition had filed the case and pursued it vigorously till the Supreme Court.

By an order dated October 26, 2007, then Bombay High Court at Goa Justice Nelson Britto directed the framing of charges under Section 13(1) (d) (i) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code.

Mr. Britto in his order noted that the charges came to be investigated and the charge sheet had been filed based on a complaint filed by Mr. Parrikar. He said that it appeared that the case took different turns depending upon which government was in power in Goa.