TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Who are the big fish that the Goa police are unable to touch till date or have allowed them to go scot-free and are only making officials the scapegoats?
This question came to the fore in the open courtroom of Special Judge Margao Nutan Sardessai during arguments on the bail plea of arrested deputy collector Prashant Shirodkar and Canacona municipal engineer Ajay Desai.
While in the morning session, Adv Anacleto Viegas representing Ajay Desai contended before the court that high-profile accused persons have been left untouched, defence lawyer Adv Prakash Caeiro argued post-lunch session that the investigating agency is yet to net the big fish. “Officials such as arrested deputy collector are being made scapegoats while the big fish is allowed to go scot-free”, Adv Caeiro representing Shirodkar submitted in the courtroom.
Taking up the gauntlet, Special Public Prosecutor Adv Rajiv Gomes said the police are willing to lay their hands on any of the accused, howsoever mighty they might be, and asked the defence lawyers to name the accused persons. “We will not spare anyone, whoever they may be. If you have any information,” Adv Gomes said.
“Please cooperate with the investigations by naming the accused persons. We will investigate the role of any person connected with the building collapse,” he added.
