MARGAO: The police and the prosecution have been left red-faced after Francis Pereira, the person accused of desecrating a number of religious structures, was discharged from four more cases. This takes the number of cases that he has been discharged from to 9.
Francis Pereira, who was in the court for the hearing, was called on to the dock and was told by the judge that he was discharged from three desecration cases against him.
The case booked in Quepem Police station for cross breaking, the case in Maina Curtorim police station for breaking the cross at Curtorim and one at Power house circle in Aquem was heard and the order was pronounced by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Kalpana Gawas on Thursday.
The order said that since there was no evidence except of his confessional statement, he has been discharged from all the three cases.
Earlier, during the day Francis was discharged from yet another case of desecration.
While passing the order the CJM pulled up the prosecution and the police and went on to advice not to drag in innocent people when there is no proper investigation and evidence collection done in the three cases she heard. CJM also said that there is “No iota of evidence” in the cases.
All the eyes are now set on the Curchorem case which is yet to come up for first appearance.
Meanwhile, it is also learnt from sources that the prosecution plans appeal the orders discharging the accused, which the legal fraternity sees as a desperate move by the police and the prosecution to save face.
