PANJIM: In what could be a major disappointment to anti-mining activists, the Magisterial Inquiry report into the alleged assault on mining activist and Cavrem Panch Ravindra Velip, remained ‘inconclusive’ in the absence of material evidence that could have zeroed in on those involved.
Additional Collector North Swapnil Naik is likely to submit the magisterial inquiry report into the alleged assault, in the Sada sub-jail by Monday, recommending effective monitoring of CCTV cameras and storage of footage in the jail premises.
A senior official told Herald, “There was no third party evidence. We only have direct allegations from Velip and jail authority witnesses denying the same. In the absence of third party evidence, it was not possible to reach any conclusion.”
Twenty-five statements of witnesses have been recorded during the course of the inquiry, including that of Velip, prison staff and prisoners, among others.
The inquiry is expected to pass a series of recommendations the main being effective recording of CCTV footage and monitoring. “The CCTVs are installed but the recordings were not getting captured,” official said.
Velip had alleged that around four persons, suspected to be jail guards, had attacked him. He said he had been blindfolded, gagged and thrown from the first floor on March 23, when he was in judicial lockup.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the alleged assault on Velip following discrepancies between the inquiry report submitted by Inspector General (IG) Prisons Elvis Gomes, and the complaint filed by Velip.
Gomes had submitted an internal inquiry report into the incident to Chief Secretary R K Srivastava, who forwarded it to the chief minister with recommendations. Gomes had recommended an independent inquiry.
