TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Goa police will intensify crackdown on drunken drivers in the wake of several accidents caused by the menace at several
places in the State, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the House in reply to demands for grants on Police department, on Wednesday.
“We will clamp down on drunken driving. Those who are drunk will either not be permitted to drive or there should be one person
from the group, who should not drink…or keep a driver or if all are drunk, just hire a taxi. This rule is followed in America,” he said.
About tourists renting out two-wheelers, he asked the bike rental agencies to demand for passports or other documents before giving the bike. “…or charge Rs 100 in addition to the rental charges if there is a challan issued in the name of the bike owner, because these are compounded by the magistrate, not police,” he explained, adding that police should not be blamed for everything. Parrikar also alleged that the Vasco rape case had been given a political colour. Speaking during the reply on demands for grants on Police Department, he also defended the thorough investigation by the 15-member team of Crime Branch that camped at Vasco for one month, months before the case was handed over to CBI in 2013. As he read out a two-page report on the case, he informed the Goa Assembly that the team had arrested 19 suspects under section 41 of CrPC while 49 of similar description in the sketch released by the police were interrogated, besides many others including barbers, school teachers, staff, students, ayas, CISF personnel, MPT bus conductors, MPT drivers, MPT workers, MPT contractor workers were among those who were questioned. Six hundred houses around the school (where the alleged
incident happened) were personally checked by the officers besides 39 suspected teachers were also questioned,” he added.
“It was in fact the school authorities that goofed up the case by destroying evidence… an unknown person was produced before
the school principal (Sharlet Furtado who now stands suspended for negligence) in her cabin but she let him go. It was then he
(the unidentified person) went to the toilet and did all that (referring to the alleged rape on the seven year old student)…” Parrikar, who is Home Minister said. “We worked on all the leads… unluckily, police couldn’t do anything because the accused had fled.”
“Unfortunately, this was given political colour,” Parrikar claimed.
