HCN: First of all, everyone wants to know where you were all this time.
Mickky Pacheco: I was in Delhi, right from April 9th. I went on a legal recommendation. I have enough experience with courts. Earlier I have spent 16 days behind bars. I applied for bail, right up till the Supreme Court and never got bail. There’s no case now. This is a politically motivated case. I feel like it is not justice done to me. Because right from the time I was convicted, I went from one court to another. This was the session court and it upheld my conviction for six months. Then I challenged again at the session court in front of the principal judge but was again rejected. Then I challenged at the Bombay High Court. So many cases are pending in Goa –those of theft, murder, etc. but the court has never taken Suo moto congisance but for my challenge, they have taken suo moto congisance and upheld the conviction for six months. At that point of time, I was given two weeks to surrender when I appealed to the Apex court. On March 30th, my petition was dismissed, but I still had two weeks’ time.
HCN: You had time till when?
MP: I had time till April 15th to surrender. But on the 9th, when I was at the Supreme Court in Delhi, I came to know from the media that there’s an order for my arrest and that there’s a lookout notice being served for me. After that, it was difficult for me to come back, although I still had about 4 or 5 days to surrender. I don’t know why the police were in such a hurry to send a lookout notice everywhere for me. They made my life difficult and I couldn’t return to Goa.
HCN: If the police had not issued an arrest warrant, would you have come and surrendered to the court?
MP: Certainly I would have. I have trust in God. Previously also I have been unnecessarily harassed, I was behind bars and there was no case. I know now also, God is there and he will help me. I know this case is politically motivated. In Salman Khan’s case, the witness wasn’t examined and the conviction was suspended for five years. For me, I’m fighting right from here till the Supreme Court to give me a chance. The complaint had given two names – two eyewitness and neither of them have been examined. That’s what I’m fighting for.
HCN: So basically you were in Delhi and you saw a look out notice issued against you. So where were you after that?
MP: My petitions were there. I asked another petition, seeking time from the Supreme Court to surrender because after the arrest warrant, I had to find a way. I needed a legal remedy to be able to surrender because look out notices were sent to all places.
HCN: But how did you come to Goa? When did you come back?
MP: I’m not well also. My bilirubin is high and I have pressure problems as well and am taking five tablets a day. Then with the lookout notices, I have had to take care and to break my journey from Delhi to Goa. I came by road and since I’m here, I decided to surrender.
HCN: So you’ve come all the way from Delhi by road to surrender? Why now?
MP: See, you have to understand. I was going for a legal remedy because there is a petition that I filed. At the same time, I’m not keeping too well. It is not easy coming from Delhi to Goa by car.
HCN: Were you in touch with anyone here or with events happening in Goa?
MP: I was going through the papers and the news on the internet and everything. But I feel I haven’t been given justice.
HCN: So you’re not accepting your guilt then?
MP: No! I’m not accepting it. I didn’t do anything wrong. It is my duty to ensure that basic amenities reach the people. I have to call up the officers and tell them what needs to be done.
HCN: Your sentence was for six months. It’s been almost two months since that sentence was passed. You’ve been on the run for two months now. If you had to surrender then, you would have served at least two months now and four would have been left. Don’t you think you lost those two months?
MP: As I said, I went there for a legal remedy. Justice has not been done. I was not given breathing time to surrender. When I went to the Supreme Court to file my petition, the order was issued the same day. There was still time. The courts should have gone to the High Court order. I was given two weeks’ time.
HCN: Now will you seek pardon from the government of Goa?
MP: I will go under the constitution and follow the law. I’ll try any way I can under the way of the law.
HCN: What impact will this have on your political career? People might think you’re in jail and this might cause a negative impact?
MP: You have to understand. I trust the people in my constituency and across Goa. I was arrested earlier also but I did nothing wrong. I’ve not been caught for taking bribes or murder. I do what I’m supposed to do for my people and provide a service for them. I didn’t do anything wrong. Therefore, I am fighting for justice.
HCN: So basically, according to you slapping a junior engineer, is a way of ensuring service for people?
MP: Yes! I called him into my Betalbatim office. I did not do anything on the road or in his office or on site. My point is that, if I slapped him, he gave the names of two eyewitnesses. Why have those two not been examined?
HCN: Okay, how are you feeling now, considering you will be going to court to surrender in a few minutes.
MP: I don’t want to answer anything more. It’s time to go now.
