Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the March 23 brutal attack on anti-illegal mining activist Ravindra Velip in the Sada sub-jail.
Sources said the government has appointed North Goa Additional Collector Swapnil Naik (IAS) to probe into the incident while deputy director of Tourism Arvind Kotkar would assist him in the inquiry.
The order comes a day after Inspector General of Prisons Elvis Gomes submitted an inquiry report that pointed out to various discrepancies and contradictions in statements of the inmates and jail officials.
“I have ordered a judicial probe based on the recommendations of the prisons report. The officer in charge will have to submit the report within 21 days of taking over the probe,” Parsekar said.
In his report to the government, Gomes had recommended an independent probe citing various loopholes such as non-functioning of the CCTV cameras installed in the jail premises. “The statements of inmates and jail officials, and findings are contradictory. Moreover, the CCTVs in the jail are not functioning and never been repaired or sought replacement. An independent probe will expose many untold facts,” a senior officer told Herald.
Sources said the Home Department will issue orders appointing the officers on Wednesday.
Velip had alleged that he was attacked from behind by about four persons, who blindfolded him, gagged him and then beat him. “I was lifted and thrown down from a height resulting in multiple fractures to my forearm and severe pain in my neck,” he had alleged in his complaint stating that the attack was in retaliation of the villagers’ attempt to stall unregulated mining at Caurem.
The CM last week had said that the government was open to an independent probe subject to a report from the Prisons department.
