East Goa acquitted by a Goa court Cricket In the 2001 ODI ticket scam, the Association (GCA) chief Dayanand Narvekar and eight others observed that the state government was acting incompetent to harass the accused who were facing trial for the last 21 years. Margao’s First Class Judicial Magistrate Santan Silva had on July 8 acquitted nine accused, including former GCA president Narvekar, for printing fake tickets for one-day internationals. India and Australia in 2001 in Margao.
In the detailed order made available on Wednesday, the court said that despite it being an old matter (which was being taken up on priority), the court had gone out of its way to give a long rope to the state. The judge said that even after so many months, the state has not bothered to appoint a new special public prosecutor.
“Since the officials of the State are clearly sleepy, in my view, the State may instruct at least several of its Public Prosecutors and/or at least the Assistant Public Prosecutors to appear before this Court and provide the papers of the case. Any one of them, the judge observed. The court further observed that the state government has displayed complete incompetence with effect from March 10, 2022, when Special Public Prosecutor Vinay Borkar, by writing a letter to the Under Secretary (Establishment), withdraws his presence. Notice to take was given.
The court said it wondered whether all this was done deliberately to harass the accused, who are facing trial for an extraordinary 21 years. The court, in its order, also referred to the negligence of an inspector investigating officer of the Margao police, Sachin Narvenkar.
The Inspector was well aware that the matter is more than two decades old and is being taken up on priority basis. The court observed that since the investigating officer had retired long back, it was the responsibility of the inspector to serve the witnesses. The judge also noted that on each occasion, the court had specifically directed that the summons to the witnesses should be sent through the inspector and in-charge of the Margao Town police station.
Despite repeated and specific instructions to the said inspector, not only were the witnesses not served, but the service report also never reached the court on time, the judge said.
read all breaking news, today’s fresh newswatch top videos And live TV Here.