Cong files plea before Panjim JMFC to register FIR against 10 rebel MLAs

PANJIM: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar has now filed a criminal miscellaneous application before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Panjim, praying for registration of an FIR against the 10 rebel party MLAs for allegedly forging documents.

The JMFC has fixed the matter for hearing on June 23.

The Panjim Police, Superintendent of Police (SP) North and the public prosecutor have been named as respondents.

Chodankar in his petition has stated that 10 former party MLAs Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavlekar, Isidore Fernandes, Nilkanth Halarnkar, Jennifer Monserrate, Antonio ‘Tony’ Fernandes, Francis Silveira, Wilfred ‘Babashan’ D’Sa, Clafasio Dias, Filipe Neri Rodrigues and Antanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate and proposers of resolution Prasad Amonkar and Jeetendra Gaonkar and 53 other persons allegedly signed the forged documents and produced the same before the Goa Assembly Speaker as genuine.

Chodankar has prayed that the Panjim Police be directed to register an FIR against the above persons in accordance with law as they have inter-alia committed offences under Sections 192, 193, 199, 200, 209, 463, 465, 468, 471, 473, 476 and 120 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

On April 20 this year, Chodankar had filed a complaint at the Panjim Police Station against the 10 rebel MLAs and others and subsequently another complaint to the SP North on May 5 for allegedly preparing forged documents to create fake evidences. 

But till date the police failed to register an FIR on a complaint in respect of forgery/fraud and other offences under the provisions of Indian Penal Code 1860, which compelled Chodankar to approach the JMFC praying to direct the Panjim Police Inspector to register an FIR and to direct the police to conduct independent, free and proper investigation into the matter. 

He has also appealed to court to monitor the investigation and direct the Panjim PI to timely submit the progress of investigation to the court.

Chodankar has also filed a Writ Petition before the High Court of Bombay at Goa seeking disqualification of 10 former party legislators under the Anti-Defection Act for joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in July 2019. 

Chodankar has challenged the Speaker’s judgement dated April 20, 2021, dismissing his disqualification petition filed against 10 rebel party MLAs.

On June 7, the High Court Division Bench listed the petition before the Special Division Bench after Justice Mahesh Sonak recused from hearing the matter as he had appeared ‘for some of the respondents earlier’. 

The matter will now be listed before the Special Division Bench for which appropriate request will have to be made by the petitioner.