PANJIM: The Crime Branch (CB) on Friday served a third summon on activist Advocate Aires Rodrigues after he twice failed to appear before it for questioning in connection with a sexual harassment case registered against him. 

Rodrigues was first summoned by the Crime Branch on Thursday for questioning. However, he failed to appear before the investigating agency on Thursday on ground that he had moved the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) seeking that the investigation be handed over to any officer other than Police Inspector Dattaguru Sawant and urging court to monitor the probe. Following this, the CB had issued a second summon on Thursday directing the advocate to be present at its Ribandar office, on Friday, at 3 pm.  

However, Crime Branch SP Kartik Kashyap said, Rodrigues presented himself before the agency on Friday at 11 am and submitted a letter requesting that he be interrogated there and then (that is, at 11 am), as he had to attend the funeral service of a ‘close friend’ in Panjim, at 3 pm. But he was informed that his request could not be entertained since the interrogating officer was busy with another case, the SP added.

Following this, the Crime Branch issued a third summon directing Rodrigues to remain present for questioning at the Crime Branch office at 3 pm on Saturday.