MARGAO: Goans For Goa, in a statement issued on Sunday, condemned the manner in which the death of Fr Bismarque Dias had been officially classified as ‘accidental death’ by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Gaurish Shankhwalkar, based on the investigation carried out by the Crime Branch and the post mortem report.
“This order by the SDM is like a slap on the face of all Goans who rightly believe that there is sufficient evidence to prove that foul play was involved in the death of Fr Bismarque. There is also ample evidence to prove that the investigation conducted by the Crime Branch is shoddy and incomplete, and that the autopsy has been fraudulently concluded as death due to asphyxia as a result of drowning,” said GFG president Kennedy Afonso.
He added, “To pass an order based on these two reports is a mockery of justice as both reports of the Crime Branch and the autopsy are already under a shadow of doubt, as there is contradictory evidence, which supports the theory of murder in both cases. GFG will lay it before the people of Goa for their perusal, so that they can make their own judgements on the matter.”
Afonso also alleged that the Crime Branch was “a shoddy attempt to cover up the murder.” He said, “The Crime Branch has submitted an incomplete report to the SDM without even bothering to take a statement of the five youth, who had seen Fr Bismarque along with the two boys at Uddear at 11.30 pm. This is a major contradiction; it goes against the story of the two boys, who say that they were at Babal Mannos at 11.30 pm. How can he be in two places at the same time, and why is the Crime Branch allergic to taking the statement of these five youth?”
He continued, “How can the Crime Branch conclude the report without their statement? The CB has not yet revealed what those stains on the vest are. Such evidence will be revealed at the right time in the court of law.”
