Cipriano did not die in custody, suspended PI tells court

PANJIM, FEB 28
Suspended Police Inspector Sandesh Chodankar on Monday flatly denied that Cipriano Fernandes died in the Panjim police custody.
In his statement before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Panjim, Chodankar said that he saw Cipriano “sleeping” in the ‘officers room’ in the Panjim police station on January 7 evening.
Next morning on January 8, he stated, Cipriano was “sitting on the bench” in the police station’s ‘officers room’.
“I was attending crime meeting at Porvorim with other police officers till about 8:15-8:20pm on January 7. I received a phone call from the police control room that Georgina is stabbed by somebody at Caranzalem. I immediately phoned the police station and asked a team to rush to Caranzalem,” he said further.
In a two and half hour deposition, the suspended police officer stated that on reaching the police station he got involved investigating a murder case till about 9:30pm.
He was later dropped at his Dona Paula home by the police driver. 
“I came back to the police station at 2am on January 8 for District night patrolling duty. On checking the station diary, I learnt that Cipriano was arrested under section 151 CrPC…” he said admitting that he had seen Cipriano in the police station earlier.
He claimed that he was however not informed about Cipriano’s arrest.
“I inquired from head constable Sandip Shirvaikar as to why Cipriano was arrested for a non-cognizable complaint to which he said that Georgina was insisting to pick him up (Cipriano) as she feared he might slap her,” he added.
Cipriano, 38-year-old seafarer on his vacation back in Goa, was arrested after his lady friend complained that he threatened her. He was arrested on January 7 and died on January 9 after being referred to Goa medical college and hospital (GMCH).
Police had refused custodial killing initially claiming that Cipriano suffered from epilepsy.
Chodankar also confirmed that even as no bail application was filed for Cipriano’s release, the police submitted a ‘chapter case’ against Cipriano to the SDM. “Since he was admitted in the GMC, we could not produce him before the SDM. Based on Shirvaikar’s report, the SDM granted him bail,” he further added.
He said that the seafarer’s death was informed to him at 8am on January 9 after which Georgina and Cipriano’s paternal cousin Cosme Fernandes were called for inquiry. 
Three policemen including Chodankar, sub inspector Radhesh Ramnathkar and hawaldar Shirvaikar are already suspended for procedural lapses by the department.
The statement by SDM came in as a further nail in the coffin as the inquiry proved that Cipriano was badly assaulted with blunt object in police custody.
So also, the autopsy report confirmed that he died due to two fatal injuries on the head.
The Crime Branch is meanwhile investigating a case of murder registered against several police officials attached to Panjim police station in the custodial killing.
JMFC has adjourned Chodankar’s further deposition to March 4.