Following pub lic outcry and protests by activists and political leaders demanding justice for social activist Rama Kankonkar, a victim of deadly attack, Panjim Police after dragging their feet, fi nally arrested Zenito Car dozo, 36, a history sheeter from St Cruz, in connection with the case, on Sunday. Speaking to reporters, North Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Gup ta said based on detailed interrogation of arrested seven accused and availa ble evidence, they came to a conclustion that Zenito had instructed the accused to commit the heinous act. Zenito was arrested on Sunday evening by a team led by Panjim PI Vijay Chodankar from a city based hotel. He is a history sheeter in Old Goa Police Station, the SP said. The SP said in all, 12 per sons were held under pre ventive arrest at Old Goa Po lice Station. Two are linked to the accused, already ar rested, but not involved in the current case. Those arrested under preventive custody are Satish Bharti (19) from Merces, Yeshwant Nip panikar (47) from St Cruz, Asif Ali Badekar (36) from Chimbel, Suraj Shetye (48) from Merces, Lourence Dias (41) from Mestabhat Merc es, Aniket Naik (32) from Old Goa, Gauresh Naik (39) from Merces, Adam Utkuri (52) from Chimbel, Domnic Naz ath (39) from Merces, Karim Sab Bepari (36) from St Cruz and Chetan Korgaokar (35) from St Cruz. One person identified as Shelton Pereira (24) from Chimbel was also arrested for bad character, the SP said. “This takes the total ar rested in the case to eight persons including prime accused Zenito. Moreover, as a preventive measure all 23 persons have been placed under arrest U/S 126/170 BNSS,” the SP said. The SP said, “We were in terrogating those who were arrested earlier and exam ining the evidence available from different angles. We also analysed their previous activities especially during the past two months. And a name cropped up which was Zenito Cardozo who issued instructions to those already arrested. He is an old history sheeter having many criminal records. We have observed the active in volvement of Zenito in the assault case,” he said. However, the SP said that it is too early to say that the assault took place because of previous enmity. “Inter rogation is being carried out,” he said. Meanwhile, a police of ficer on condition of ano nymity said, “The top brass knew that Zenito was the main conspirator from day one, but they were sceptical of arresting him because of his political links. None theless, since the public sentiment was against the police, they had to half-heartedly pick him up from his flat. Last time, when he was wanted in the arms case, he had gone into hibernation and was caught by the police after a long chase.”
“Everybody knows that he was the brain behind the assault and there was no personal enmity between Rama Kankonkar and him as claimed by the SP. It was a state ment made by Rama regarding a land deal in North Goa that provoked a politician who then used the services of Zenito to use his hit men to attack Rama,” said a cop on condition of anonymity and rubbished the SP’s statement claiming it was personal enmity. “It is nothing than a political vendetta to silence the whistleblowers and the massive morcha held by the Op position and the civil society activists that forced the po lice to act, who initially dragged their feet”, he said, adding that another top hitman is also allegedly involved in the heinous attack, but is left untouched because of his polit ical clout