VASCO: Goencho Avaaz on Wednesday filed a criminal complaint at the Vasco Police station against the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, MLAs Alina Saldanha and Carlos Almeida and GIDC Chairman Joshua D’Souza for defying the orders enforced with regards to the COVID-19 lockdown.
In a press note issued by the Goencho Avaaz, the complaint was filed on behalf of Goencho Avaaz by the co-convenor Capt. Viriato Fernandes.
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Based on the newspaper reports that appeared on May 27, 2020, the complaint points out the Chief Minister and his ministerial and party colleagues as also many unknown people gathered for the inauguration of the grade separator at Dabolim in blatant violation of various sections under CrPC and IPC.
It may be recalled that the orders of NDMA and Section 144 orders issued do not exempt public gatherings by government officials and in no case permits any government function to be carried out without maintaining social distancing. The complaint also highlighted that the unlawful assembly directly amounted to a breach of NDMA orders. Capt Fernandes said that even the Prime Minister while holding meetings and discharging official functions in government establishments clearly maintains social distancing as required by the NDMA orders issued and being enforced throughout the country.
The complaint also points out that the Chief Minister and other MLAs named in the complaint of having breached the order under Section 144 CrPC, making them liable to be prosecuted under Section 51 to 60 of Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Sections 149, 269, 188 of IPC. It is pertinent to note that Sec 269 of Indian Penal Code states that a “Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life—Whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both”.
Goencho Avaaz has also warned the Chief Minister as also the MLAs named in the FIR not to tamper with the case and desist from pressurising the investigation officers from doing an impartial enquiry and taking it to a logical conclusion.
The organization advised the government that such irresponsible behaviour in public will not be tolerated and the organisation will do whatever required to ensuring safety of the people during these difficult times due to the pandemic.
