CM assures to probe into recovery of jewellery

TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured to inquire into the theft case wherein a Margao-based family, are allegedly facing increasing hassles from the police in getting back the recovered jewellery despite completing required formalities.
“Prima facie, you smell a rat. I will put up the case for an inquiry… there is Court involved here,” he told the House in response to a question tabled by Fatorda’s Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai.
On March 1, Margao police registered a case taking cognizance of complaint filed by one Surendra Malkarnekar that his house was burgled of gold ornaments, worth Rs 2.5 lakh. Sardesai said the complaint was revised when his wife Sunita informed the police that stolen jewelry, weighing 295 grams and cost Rs 5-6 lakh. He informed that six accused were apprehended and lodged in Yerwada jail in Pune.
“To bring them back to Goa on transit remand, Margao police inspector Sudesh Naik asked the complainant to arrange for a vehicle. Surendra paid Rs 13,000 for the entire trip,” Sardesai narrated speaking to Herald after the Session. He said the police recovered 260 grams of gold of the total loot.
However, he added, Surendra and his wife began facing harassment from the police despite getting Court orders to collect their jewelry. The accused were identified by the couple’s seven year old child. The legislator also alleged that the police while refusing to hand over the recovered jewelry items to complainants, in turn distributed to victims of other theft cases, for which Surendra moved the local Court challenging the action of the police.
Sardesai demanded that the police return the bond of Rs 7 lakh and the entirely recovered jewelry to complainants.
Parrikar assured to table the inquiry report during the next discussion on Home department in the Assembly.