Team Herald
PANJIM: Despite Deputy Speaker Anant Shet being caught at Chorao ferry point with cash Rs 3,47,500 in his car to allegedly bribe voters while on the campaign trail for the March 2012 Assembly election, Goa Police have given him a clean chit due to ‘lack of evidence’.
Cash was found in Shet’s car, and the cash and car were seized by the Flying Squad of the Election Commission of India. Later an FIR against Shet was registered at Old Goa Police Station.
Old Goa Police Inspector Krishna Sinari confirmed that the case has been closed due to lack of evidence that could stand in a court.
However, social activist advocate Aires Rodrigues, claiming political influence in closing the case said he will challenge the closure of the case in a court. Rodrigues has been following high-profile cases in public interest.
“It is an open-and-shut case where Shet was caught red-handed with the cash and the police have grossly abdicated in their duty by lacking the spine to charge sheet Shet,” advocate Rodrigues said.
Since a charge sheet had not been filed till February 2014 advocate Rodrigues had served notices to the chief secretary and DGP to complete the investigation but the case has been allegedly killed under political pressure.
Congress Legislative Party spokesperson Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said, “BJP is even interfering in the judiciary now, recent transfer of judges itself endorses this. Just because Shet is well-connected to the ruling party, the case against him has not made any headway.”
Civil society activists pointed out that while the Supreme Court has said that to uphold constitutional morality, the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers should not appoint a minister against whom corruption charges are pending, using the same influence over government agencies politicians are closing criminal cases against party colleagues.
