Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday dismissed the applications seeking quashing of the proceedings in the infamous 2008 Panjim Police Station attack case and directed that the trial be expedited as there was prima facie evidence against the accused.
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Panjim MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, his wife Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate, former Panjim Mayor Tony Rodrigues and others are the main accused in the case, which has been pending in
the High Court for the last seven years.
After delivering the 31-page verdict, Justice Manish Pitale rejected the request made on behalf of Jennifer Monserrate to continue the stay of the trial for four weeks to enable her to move the Supreme Court.
Pitale, rejecting the request observed that the Supreme Court had directed that criminal trials against MPs and MLAs be expedited.
Social activist Adv Aires Rodrigues has filed a caveat before the Supreme Court seeking that no order be passed on any petition filed by the Monserrates without hearing him.
The Monserrates, Tony Rodrigues and 35 others stand charged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for having on February 19, 2008 attacked and damaged the Panjim Police Station.
After the judgment, Aires stated he would move an application before the Mapusa Additional Sessions Judge seeking to assist the prosecution to ensure that the trial is free and fair.
