Chargesheet against Pratima Coutinho: Congress cries foul

COLVA/PANAJI: Fatorda police filed a 15-page chargesheet at the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court at Margao against Mahila Congress chief Pratima Coutinho for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of a particular community.
According to the chargesheet, on July 1, 2020, the accused “with deliberate and malicious intentions” showed a two-wheeler (scooter) as a dead body and performed rituals while shouting and chanting ‘Ram Naam Satya Hai’ and allegedly outraged and hurt religious feelings. Coutinho was leading a protest against the fuel price hike.
The chargesheet has been filed following a complaint by Ankit Salgaonkar with Fatorda police stating that his religious sentiments were hurt by the procession and chantings led by the accused in front of South Goa collectorate.
Fatorda police registered the case on July 4 and the chargesheet was filed on Monday.
Congress was quick to criticise Goa police’s decision to file the chargesheet. It questioned how the police had time to expedite the investigation into allegations against Coutinho while allegations of corruption, land grab and law and order remain pending.
Goa would be a model state for the country if Goa police shows the same zeal in investigating allegations of corruption, drug trafficking, land grab and sexual offences, said state Congress president Girish Chodankar.
Directly suggesting that the cases are politically motivated, Chodankar said chief minister Pramod Sawant is using the police to suppress the voice of the opposition. “We have the capacity to fight back and the BJP government’s police cannot pressurise us,” Chodankar said.