Speed up case against Aires, court orders
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 16
The Civil Judge Senior Division at Panjim, Edgar Fernandes, today directed that the proceedings of the civil defamation case filed by Advocate General Subodh Kantak against lawyer activist Aires Rodrigues be expedited.
The court allowed the application by Rodrigues and adjourned the case to September 30. The applicant submitted that he was entitled to a speedy trial and that “it was an irony that though Kantak had filed the case, he was taking no steps to expedite his own case.”
The AG had filed a civil and a criminal defamation against Rodrigues for allegedly defaming him vis-à-vis exorbitant fees. In the civil suit, Kantak has sought Rs 15 crore as damages from Rodrigues.
The criminal defamation was however dismissed on March 17, 2010 as AG Kantak failed to remain present for his cross examination. For this, he has been fined Rs 500 twice by the Court and the same was to be paid to Rodrigues. When Kantaka failed to appear before the court consecutively for the third time, he was ordered to pay Rs 1000 to Rodrigues.
