Home Minister played SIT card to delay action against Panjim cops

Home Minister played SIT card to delay action against Panjim cops
TEAM HERALD
Panjim: The Home Minister, it clearly appears, stepped in to delay action against police officers of the Panjim police station, accused of murdering Cipriano Fernandes, as early as February 4, even before the formal FIR was registered against officers on duty on January 7 and 8, by the Crime branch on February 9.
According to documents containing internal notings of the Home Department available with the Herald, the Home Department was following a simple and clear course of action following the submission of the report of SDM Shabaji Shetye.
The Under Secretary Home, in his summary note dated February 3, 2011 mentioned “The SDM opined that it may be appropriate to initiate relevant offences against all the police personnel on duty and investigate the matter meticulously. In the above circumstances, government has replied that it will initiate action against the concerned police officials”.
The note then mentions “The DGP may be informed to initiate necessary action against the concerned police officials”.
This note then went up the hierarchy chain for approval and was approved by the Special Secretary, the Chief Secretary (who is the Home Secretary) before landing at Home Minister Ravi Naik’s desk on February 4.
The Home Minister meanwhile had just adopted a different line of thinking in the assembly on February 4 and this is what he mentioned in his note on the very same day. “I have announced in the legislative assembly that SIT headed by Om Prakash Kurtarkar will be constituted and action against the officials will be taken after the submission of the SIT report”.
This begs the question. Why was there a need to hand over the case to SIT when the Home Department including the Chief Secretary was of the opinion that the DGP should spearhead and initiate action. Senior officials, including those in the police admitted that giving the case to SIT was not mandatory since the DGP does not necessarily require a Special Investigation Team to inquire into a matter which has been looked into by a magistrate. Any follow up investigation and action, including arrests could have been done under the supervision of the DGP and his force.
The protective hand of Ravi Naik did not end here. The Crime branch through Sunita Sawant registered a formal FIR against unnamed police officers and then suddenly drafted in Vasco PI Braz Menezes as the investigative agency. It is learnt that Braz Menezes will work under the supervision of the SIT. The choice of Braz Menezes, a close friend of Panjim PI Sandesh Chodankar is shocking and could be aimed to protect him. Braz Menezes and Sandesh Chodankar were appointed as police sub inspectors on the same day August 2, 1991 vide the same appointment order (see  copy of order). Human rights activist Jowett D’Souza on whose complaint the JMFC is inquiring into the case has petitioned the Chief Secretary not to initiate the case to him.