Team Herald
MARGAO: The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Margao has adjourned the hearing in the case against ten activists accused of unlawful assembly during the Chandor protest against railway double-tracking. The hearing was pushed to March 11 after some of the accused sought additional time to file their replies to the prosecution’s application for supplementary investigation.
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While five of the ten-odd accused have already filed their replies opposing the prosecution’s request, the remaining asked for more time. The Maina-Curtorim police have sought permission to conduct further investigation, arguing that critical evidence was left out in the original probe. In their application, they highlighted the absence of station diary extracts documenting the deployment of police officers at the protest site, which they claim is essential to establish the presence of key witnesses.
Additionally, they have requested the court’s approval to record statements from three Salcete Joint Mamlatdars—Raghuraj Faldessai, Dattaraj K Gauns Dessai, and Gaurav S Gaonkar—whom they consider material witnesses.
The case stems from the midnight protest on November 1-2, 2020, when thousands gathered in Chandor to oppose the railway double-tracking project. The accused include activists, an MLA and Goa’s prominent environmental campaigners
