Panaji: Pointing to the involvement of a top IPS officer in the Assagao house demolition incident, Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira on Thursday insisted on a probe by a high-level commission headed by a retired high court judge to unearth the facts.
He also condemned the ‘turnabout’ by the victim family who have now “decided to settle the matter and forgive the accused”.
Ferreira also called for an investigation into the “lethargic” police action.
“There are many instances of outsiders grabbing property, many times fraudulently. Once we learnt that a Goan’s house had been demolished and the family was hurt, all of us, journalists and politicians and even the CM visited the place. Goans stood by them. Even the Congress party and our leaders and assured crowdfunding to rebuild the house. But that night there was a U-turn, there was a settlement. They have decided to forgive. We are shocked,” he said.
The MLA hit out at the family for taking advantage of the overwhelming support to ‘inflate their asking price”.
“I doubt the victim lady’s statement. No one will go out for free. Didn’t the lady know that the accused had a family before filing the case? You got us there to perform a drama and to increase your price? Now we will have to think twice before going to such places. You have taken advantage of us. Don’t take us for granted. Now we will be after you to find out how you have done this compromise, what kind of a settlement you have arrived at and how you have tried to forgive the crime that has been committed against you, a crime against society and a crime against Goans, he said.
“The law states when an FIR is registered, there is a crime and an offence. Now only compounding before the court can happen. You can’t call for a settlement. The case can only proceed before JMFC for compounding. The SC says if Section 320 under CRPC is not there, then you have to go before HC and explain to them. I urge the government to check their accounts and the settlement. The CM has rightly said that the case will continue and investigations will go on and there will be no compromise. I had said that I will seek a probe by a high-level commission headed by a retired high court judge. I will insist on this. I want to go to the root of the matter,” he added.
Ferreira also suspected police involvement in the matter.
“Apart from the criminal side, I want to know how the police were lethargic, why they didn’t act promptly. The family was brought to the police station, and on the other side, the operation of demolition was performed. This needs to be identified who is the culprit and I think the government will support me on this,” he said.
Ferreira alleged that a high-level IPS officer was involved in the case.
“I have a doubt they these people have applied pressure to settle the matter to ensure that name does not come out. That officer was telephoning people. We need to reveal his name and conduct an inquiry. This is not a matter of this case alone. This is a matter of systematic placement of officers in Goa who are acting as brokers to sell our properties to their friends or they want to earn commission out of this. They need to be put in place. They are coming here not for the good of Goa but only for their benefit. I urge the CM not to close the case, he said.
On the move to shift the Khelo India Centre of Excellence from Panaji to Mapusa, Ferreira said that he has written to Sports Minister Govind Gaude highlighting that this will severely inconvenience parents and children. He also put forth his reasons for the objections and suggestions.
“I have been getting calls from parents regarding this move. The Peddem stadium is ill-equipped. MLAs of Bardez have not been consulted. People who currently use the stadium will be barred. It will be cheaper to take on hostels on rent in Panaji. The logistics will work out more expensive and detrimental to the children and parents who will have to travel all the way from Panaji to Mapusa and back,” he said.