Serula land case: HC dismisses Parulekar’s petition on trial

NT NETWORK

PANAJI

The High Court of Bombay at Goa has dismissed a petition filed by  former tourism minister Dilip Parulekar seeking review of its order, which  directed him to face trial in the Serula comunidade land case.

A senior counsel representing Parulekar had argued that the HC could review its order, while lawyer Aires Rodrigues drew HC’s attention to a constitutional bench judgment of the Supreme Court, which  mandated  that the High Court did not have the power of review in criminal matters, and that once an order was passed the court could only correct clerical or arithmetical errors.

The HC had directed Parulekar and the two others – Peter Martins, the then attorney of comunidade of Serula and Irene Sequeira, the then administrator of comunidade of Bardez – to face trial.

The trial of the trio has commenced before the Mapusa JMFC, and  the next hearing has been scheduled to January.

In his complaint, Rodrigues had drawn the High Court’s attention that the 599 sq.mt of prime land along the CHOGM Road at Porvorim was given away to Parulekar without any auction and without following the procedure contemplated under the Code of
Comunidade.

After hearing the arguments, the HC had reserved the judgment.

On a petition filed by  Rodrigues, the Mapusa JMFC on  January 16, 2014 had directed the Porvorim