Crime Branch sleuths unravel more mysteries
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JUNE 8
Making startling revelations in the Nadia Torrado death case, the Crime Branch has said that the former Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco was with deceased in her house on May 14 night, even as the investigating agency has sought custodial interrogations of the beleaguered former minister to find out what transpired between him and the deceased on that night before she consumed poison the next morning on May 15.
In another revelation, the Crime Branch has said huge amounts of money amounting to Rs 30 to 40 lakhs was handed over to Nadia’s brother by known and unknown sources, including a person from Bicholim, who has no relation with the Torrado family.
It has also come to light during investigations that the maid servant had burnt three bags of clothes and documents at the instructions of Nadia’s mother on the day of the funeral when Nadia’s mortal remains were still in the house
The investigating agency has said that the injuries on Nadia’s body were all contusions, with medical experts saying the injuries must have been inflicted on her around 12 to 16 days back.
The Crime Branch further said that deceased had called Pacheco on the mobile phone on May 14 and wanted to come to his side, adding that though the former minister has claimed that he had told the deceased not to come as he was busy, Nadia’s cell location was indeed somewhere along the coastal belt.
Incidentally, the investigating agency has revealed that Nadia also visited her husband at Park Hyat where he is employed on May 14. “Why did the deceased visit her husband and also want to meet Pacehco. This assumes significance because of various injuries on the deceased’s body”, Public Prosecutor Sarojini Sardinha submitted before the Sessions Court.
Incidentally, Mickky had told the Crime Branch that he had gone to Nadia’s house at 8 pm on May 14, where he found her mother and brother, while Nadia was sleeping in her house. “As she did not get up, Mickky went to her bedroom”, Sardinha said, adding this is a question which throws up ample suspicions in the incident.
Crime Branch, however, has contradicted Pacheco’s statement by saying that Nadia’s mother was not in the house and evidence suggests that she was at the Ravindra Bhavan, while Nadia’s brother had gone out when Mickky entered the house. “The Crime Branch has recorded detailed statement that Nadia’s mother was not in the house when Mickky visited on May 14 night. What is the mother trying to hide. Why is she hiding something?”, Sardinha submitted in the court, adding that only the former tourism minister can give an answer to the question as to what transpired between him and Nadia on May 14 night in the light of injuries on her body.
Raising doubts over the dying declaration made by Nadia at the Jupiter Hospital, Thana, the public prosecutor drew attention of the court that Nadia’s statement that she took rat poison by mistake cannot be taken as dying declaration as the same was recorded in the presence of two police constables, a former investigating officer from Goa and the family, adding that call locations revealed that Pacheco was in Thana on the day when the statement was recorded by a magistrate. “The statement says that she was taken to the hospital by her mother and one Liona. Why does the deceased not even make a mention of Pacheco”, she asked and said that only custodial interrogation of the former minister will clear all suspicions and will help bring to task many more people.
