Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court has allowed the application of the accused in food grains smuggling case Sachin Naik to withdraw his petition praying for quashing of FIR.
The High Court further gave him liberty to file his plea before the appropriate lower court.
Naik was one of the prime accused in the food grains smuggling case that rocked the State in 2022. He had filed an application for withdrawal of his petition before High Court pleading to quash FIR registered against him.
The High Court while allowing withdrawal to the petition has also granted liberty to file a plea before an appropriate lower court for quashing FIR against him. Meanwhile, the South Goa District and Sessions court has already quashed the order of the South Goa District Collector to give back the seized food grains to the Fair Price Shops (FPS) for distribution.
It may be recalled that on November 14, the Crime Branch had raided several locations in Ponda taluka and seized 581 rice bags and 256 wheat bags along with other grains worth almost Rs 10 lakh. The grains were reportedly siphoned out of Civil Supplies warehouses of Sanguem, Ponda and Panjim.
It may be recalled that Herald had highlighted how Goa Police and the Government seem to be continuously losing the food grains case battle.
The accused has three FIRs registered against him at the Crime Branch. As the accused keeps getting relief after relief, the chances of the case going to a logical conclusion looks bleak.
