PANJIM: The Crime Branch on Wednesday submitted the investigation report on Fr Bismarque Dias’ death to the High Court.
It may be recalled that Fr Bismarque was found dead at St Estevam on November 7, 2015 after he went missing on November 5.
On Wednesday, the Bench of Bombay High Court in Panjim was hearing a petition filed by the friends and relatives of Fr Bismarque, pleading to investigate the case of murder after registering FIR.
Representing the petitioner, Senior Advocate Subodh Kantak argued that the Crime Branch instead of investigating the activist’s death as murder had probed it as an unnatural death case under Section 174 of CrPC after registering an FIR.
Fr Bismarque’s family members had also filed a written complaint alleging it as murder, he added.
Representing another petitioner, Advocate Ryan Menezes also argued that as per law, an FIR has to be registered even in case of an apparent accidental death.
Kantak also argued that the five youth had seen Fr Bismarque at some other place, and even the premises that Father Bismarque visited near the manos (sluice gate) is doubtful. He further argued that the youth said Fr Bismarque received a call at around 11.30 pm at Babal Manus but the CDRs don’t show any call.
Kantak claimed that there is a contradiction in the statements of two key witnesses, which were recorded by the Crime Branch. After hearing the arguments, the division bench comprising of F M Reis and Nutan Sardesai scheduled the hearing on Wednesday.
