TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: After basking in the limelight over its methodical handling of the sexual assault case involving Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal, the reputation of Goa Police was sullied on Tuesday when a police sub-inspector was caught accepting a bribe and that too, at the Calangute police station.
The Anti Corruption Bureau team headed by DySP Bossuet Silva and PI Rajan Nigle allegedly caught PSI Sushant Gawas red-handed while accepting a bribe from a local, following a complaint filed by a Delhi-based NGO ‘Human Rights Organisation’ (HRO) on behalf of Reminson Fonseca of Sangolda. He was subsequently arrested by the police and later sent for a medical examination.
Addressing media persons at the Calangute Police Station premises, Adv Prathamesh Tulaskar, who is a member of the Goa unit of the HRO, stated that Fonseca had been employed with a Hotel in Sangolda, but added that the hotel owners were suspicious about Fonseca’s activities and terminated his services.
The hotel owners later filed a complaint of cheating with Calangute Police Station and demanded the return of a mobile phone SIM card from Fonseca on November 20.
Subsequently, the hotel owners visited Fonseca’s residence and recovered the SIM card from him. They accordingly informed PSI Gawas that they were withdrawing the case against Fonseca as he had returned the SIM card.
PSI Gawas, however, got in touch with Fonseca and informed him that the case could not be withdrawn and demanded Rs 20,000 to settle the case. After negotiations, the PSI fixed the amount to Rs 10,000 and Fonseca then approached Tulaskar to lend him an amount of Rs 10,000.
“When I asked him why he
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wanted the money, Fonseca narrated the incident to me. I then alerted members of HRO in Goa and sought a written statement from Fonseca in the matter. We then approached the Anti Corruption Bureau in this connection on December 16. A trap was also set to nab the PSI red-handed,” said Tulaskar.
Tulaskar informed that PSI Sushant Gawas telephoned Fonseca for the bribe money on December 17.
“Fonseca informed PSI Gawas that he only had Rs 2,500 and Fonseca accordingly went to pay the money to PSI Gawas. As Fonseca handed over the money to PSI Gawas at the main entrance of the Calangute Police Station, he was caught red-handed by the ACB team, led by DySP Bossuet Silva and PI Rajan Nigle,” said Tulaskar.
HRO (Goa unit) President Anand Tulaskar has demanded the transfer of police personnel having a long service record at the Calangute Police Station.
PSI Gawas was latter taken into custody by the police and was being interrogated in the connection.
Meanwhile, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has termed the incident as a “tip of the iceberg” and demanded a thorough investigation in the matter.
“There have been organized crimes in Calangute like begging, prostitution and dance bars, with people and police collecting money. However, nobody knows where the money goes, who collects it and for whom. Today’s incident is the tip of an iceberg which needs thorough investigation and I will write to Chief Minister for a detailed inquiry.”
PSI Gawas has been arrested on charges of Sections 7, 13(1) (d) r/w 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act and investigations are in progress.
