Team Herald
PANJIM: Social activist Adv Aires Rodrigues called on Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai at Raj Bhavan and sought his intervention on the special report sent to him last month by Goa Lokayukta Justice Ambadas Joshi over the decision of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant not to register an FIR against BJP’s Cumbarjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar in the disproportionate assets case.
Adv Rodrigues drew the Governor’s attention that the government by not registering the FIR as directed by the Lokayukta was also in contempt of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Lalita Kumari case which laid down the law on registration of FIRs.
Pointing that the Chief Minister declining to comply with the Lokayukta’s directive without giving any reasons or justification was outrageous and untenable, Adv Rodrigues urged the Governor to take necessary action so that justice and the rule of law prevail.
According to Adv Rodrigues, the Governor assured him that he would expeditiously examine the Lokayukta’s report and take appropriate action in accordance with law.
In his Special report sent on June 23 under Section 16 (3) of the Lokayukta Act, the Goa Lokayukta while seeking action as deemed appropriate had drawn the attention of the Governor that the Chief Minister had not given reasons or justification for not accepting the report of the Lokayukta, which had directed that an FIR be registered against Madkaikar on the basis of the complaint filed by Adv Rodrigues in the disproportionate assets case.
While directing the Chief Secretary and Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to register an FIR against Madkaikar, the then Lokayukta Justice P K Misra on September 15 last year in his 15-page order also observed that the then Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma and the former Superintendent of Police (ACB) Priyanka Kashyap had failed in discharging their duty in accordance with law.
Stating that appropriate punishment was required to be imposed on SP Priyanka Kashyap, the Lokayukta directed that suo motu proceedings be initiated against Kashyap for gross dereliction of duty.
Adv Rodrigues on June 7, 2018 had filed a complaint with the Lokayukta over the inaction of the ACB in probing the complaint filed by him against Madkaikar.
