The Margao Police are set to transfer the custodial assault case involv ing Navelim resident Edberg Pereira (37) to the Crime Branch, Ribandar, for further in vestigation, amid mounting public outrage and questions over the credibility of the local probe. Pereira, who underwent brain surgery after sustaining a head injury while in po lice custody, continues to receive treat ment at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim. According to police sources, a detailed proposal recom mending the transfer has been sent to senior officials in Panjim, seeking government approval for an independent and impartial investigation. Residents of Navelim have slammed the eight-day delay in filing the FIR, pointing out that the incident occurred on October 22, while the complaint was registered only on Oc tober 30. Locals have also questioned how the same police station — where the alleged assault took place — can in vestigate its own personnel. They have demanded answers on whether the crime scene was preserved, forensic samples and CCTV footage secured, and whether a forensic team inspected the lock up area. Many allege that multiple officers could be in volved, insisting that only an external agency can ensure justice in the case. The case was initiated after PI SurajSamant, in-charge of Margao Town Police Station, filed a complaint on behalf of the State against PSI NileshShirvoikar, the duty officer on the day of the incident. Shirvoikar, now suspended, alleg edly used “mild force” on Pereira, who had been brought in for ‘creating a nuisance’ near Rosary College, Navelim. An internal inquiry reportedly found that Shirvoikar vi olated the Supreme Court’s D K Basu guidelines on custo dial safety and Goa Police’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for detainee handling. Following this, the police sought and obtained permission from the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Margao, to convert the non-cognizable complaint (NC 356/2025) into an FIR under the relevant BNS sections.
Margao Police to Transfer Edberg Pereira Custodial Assault Case to Crime Branch Amid Public Outcry
