TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Expressing unhappiness over the response of the Crime Branch vis-a-vis queries on laxity in the ongoing investigations, the Special Judge, South, hearing the Canacona building collapse case has summoned the SP, Crime Branch, to the court on Friday morning to answer queries on police failure to arrest the accused persons and the slow pace of probe.
Judge Nutan Sardesai’s directions came while hearing an application filed by Adv Antonio Clovis Da Costa on behalf of relatives of a victim, praying that the Special Court monitor the investigations of the case.
When Judge Sardesai sought to know from the Investigation Officer Crime Branch PI Veluskar as to why the absconding accused in the case have still not been arrested as pointed out by Adv Antonio Clovis da Costa, the police officer said that he would seek information from the department higher ups on the issue. At this stage, Judge Sardesai issued the direction calling the SP, Crime Branch, to remain present in the court room on Friday morning.
Earlier, Adv Clovis Da Costa drew attention of the court that though a month has passed since the building had collapsed, claiming around 31 lives, the police are still refusing to arrest certain officers, who were responsible for issuing the construction licenses.
He further pointed out that though the Special Court and the High Court have rejected the anticipatory bail application of engineer Ashank Gaunkar no effort has been made by the police to arrest him despite the court making several observations. “The HC has observed that it was the duty of the CO to carry out the site inspection before issuing the license”, he said.
