Herald’s editorial dated October 6 “Bribery evidence crying out loud against Kamat, Churchill,” is a perfect piece for the officials of Goa Police crime branch and prosecution team. The editorial reminds them that they cannot mess around with evidence in hand just to blackmail the prime accused and please their political bosses who seem to be more than interested in directing the investigation during his visit to the state every weekend.
When the prime accused manages to evade arrest for too long, questions keep cropping up automatically. Is the JICA bribe case in safe hands? Even though the crime branch has evidence from some of witness under the required section of CrPC to nail the entire team of professional criminals, there are many loose ends which need to be tightened by the defence team.
It is still not clear as to why the crime branch is using different methods in a single case. The chargesheet of MMC Chairperson Arthur D’Silva as an accused was not necessary under JICA bribery case. The chargesheet of Arthur looks like more of political vendetta. This itself became handy for the defence team during the trial to term that the entire scam case as political vendetta when it is not. Also it is foolishness on part of crime branch official to issue non-bailable arrest warrant against Louis Berger official James McClung.
The investigating team should focus and prosecute the bribe taker and not the bribe giver since the bribe takers had committed a serious economic offence where it directly affects our state and country whereas the giver, being a foreigner, will in turn face prosecution from his/her country according to their rules.
The crime branch, if serious, should request the Goa Government to look into entire dealings of Louis Berger and not just JICA scam since there is an old saying, “old habits die hard.” But we all Goans know that our politicians are thick-skinned and are corrupt to the core and are definitely afraid that more skeletons would tumble out of cupboard if crime branch pursues a broad-based investigation with regards to all Louis Berger deals in Goa.
Also it was a pity to witness how the defence team had to remind the police in Court that they have to raid the accused person’s premises. By not raiding the premises immediately after registering the case, evidences could be tampered with. It is also not clear as to why until today, the Joint Director Account of JICA is neither questioned nor summoned to know his part in the scandal and won’t surprise me if after going through my article, they summon him. The Crime branch of Goa Police should refrain from making a tamasha of JICA scam to please their political bosses. One can registered countless number of FIRs, make arrests and chargesheets but what matters most is the culprit should be punished at the end of the day.
