PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has upheld a trial court’s order acquitting MLA Govind Gaude, who was charged with threatening to kill former minister Ramkrishna Dhavlikar after trespassing into the latter’s office at Bandora in 2008.
The Bench dismissed the appeal filed by the State government challenging the Ponda Court’s order of 2014.
The police, in the charge sheet had alleged that on October 11, 2008, Gaude had trespassed into the MGP office where the former minister was distributing Rajiv Awaz Yojana cheques. Gaude had been booked under Sections 448 (house trespass), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Gaude’s counsel had contended that the case was politically motivated, pointing out that witnesses were the former minister’s workers. The Ponda court had acquitted Gaude for want of evidence that indicated either a program was underway or trespassing/ threatening incident really took place.
“The evidence goes to show that the present complaint is a false complaint and was filed on account of political rivalry,” the court had then said.
HC upholds Gaude acquittal
