VIBHA VERMA
vibha@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Dissatisfied with the inquiry against then Verna Police Sub Inspector Gautam Shetkar, the family of the young lady constable who died under mysterious circumstances in February, has moved the local court insisting on a murder probe.
Crime Branch (CB) was recently issued a notice by the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) Mapusa seeking a reply by June 6.
Sources told Herald that the report is ‘inconclusive’ as statements of witnesses do not raise any suspicion into the death of the 20-year-old.
The lady constable died four days after an alleged suicide bid. She was undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College at the time of her death. The department initiated a probe but after her family approached the top brass demanding action against the PSI, the case was transferred to CB. The deceased’s family accused Shetkar of compelling the victim to end her life. Shetkar was questioned for 4 to 5 days and simultaneously shunted to GRP, Altinho.
However, the inquiry did not find any substance into the allegation, but the forensic analysis of the mobile phones (of the PSI and lady constable) is awaited from Pune Forensic Science Laboratory.
Herald accessed a few details of the inquiry report that has statements of witnesses who accompanied her to a late night birthday party at Anjuna, barely 2 to 3 days before the constable ‘fell sick’. “A group of five including PSI Shetkar, the lady constable had attended the birthday party of one of their staff at Anjuna on the intervening night of January 27-28. She was neither disturbed nor complained of health issues. On January 28 evening, she was posted at the ISL match venue,” said a police officer quoting some of the depositions.
However, the victim’s sister has refused to accept this theory. “She returned home before the ISL match was over as she was not feeling well. Next day she started vomiting. She was not in good health from the time she attended the party,” she told Herald, alleging that the depositions of witnesses are planned. Demanding a murder FIR, the complainant also questioned as to why her sister will decide to kill herself when she was preparing for a religious ceremony in the first week of February.
CB has, however, denied allegations claiming the inquiry is based on collection of facts and statements. “There is nothing to hide. The PSI has admitted to certain things but at the moment, are not relevant to the case. The police department is ready to file a FIR though,” said a senior police officer.
Meanwhile, the family claims to have obtained some evidence indicating that things were not proper between the PSI and the deceased girl.
