2 panch witnesses depose; say found no injuries on Cipriano

2 panch witnesses depose; say found no injuries on Cipriano
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JAN 29
Two panch witnesses in the Cipriano Fernandes custodial death testified before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Panjim on Saturday wherein they claimed that there were no injuries on the deceased’s body.
In their separate depositions, Gajanan Salgaonkar and Lorenco Rego Fernandes, both working at Block Divisional Office as Gram Sevaks said that they did not see any injury marks on Cipriano’s body or head.
“Sub Divisional Magistrate called to observe Cipriano’s body in the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) morgue. The tee-shirt which he was wearing was torn off to see his bare body for injuries but there were no injuries except that his ring finger had a cut,” Salgaonkar said in his statement before Magistrate Shabnam Sheikh.
Fernandes also made similar observations except the finger injury. He said that Cipriano’s second-tall finger had injury which contradicted the earlier panch witness’s observation that claimed Cipriano’s ring finger had injury.
Both were taken for inquest panchanama on January 10, 2011, a day after he died in GMC hospital. Cipriano’s paternal cousin Cosme also deposed before the Magistrate.
JMFC under section 176 (1) (A) of the Criminal Procedure Code had taken cognizance of the case after a human rights activist Jowett D’Souza approached it after the Agassaim police refused to register his complaint on January 15, 2011 as First Information Report that alleged Panjim police responsible for the death.
The Court initiated criminal proceedings on Friday. Till the second day of the trial on Saturday, it recorded statements of Sub Divisional Magistrate Shabaji Shetye who claimed that “Cipriano’s death occurred in custody,” GMC head of forensic department Dr Silvano Sapeco who stated that Cipriano suffered two fatal head injuries, two panch witnesses and Cosme.
The Court will record statement of suspended police inspector Sandesh Chodankar in the next hearing on Monday. 
The 38-year-old seafarer was on his two-month long vacation in Goa when he was picked by the Panjim police on January 7 evening. 
He was arrested under ‘preventive measure’ after his woman friend complained against him of threatening her with a knife at her Caranzalem house.
The Non-Resident Goan who was employed as second cook in European Cruise died on January 9 morning at GMC with family members holding Panjim police responsible for his killing.
Three policemen including PI Chodankar, police sub-inspector Radesh Ramnathkar and head constable Sandip Shirvaikar are suspended for procedural lapses.