Team Herald
MARGAO: The Additional District and Session Judge South Goa, Vincent Silva, on Saturday, heard the arguments of the infamous power rebate scam case while the accused prayed to stop the proceedings and discharge them of the charges.
After hearing the arguments, the court posted the matter for further arguments on June 23.
All the alleged accused, including one of the steel companies, had made an application through their lawyers to the Court praying to stop the proceedings and discharge them.
It may be recalled that former power minister Mauvin Godinho had also moved an application before the trial court on April 5 to stop the proceedings and to discharge him of the offences.
Godinho had contended that there is no provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure for reinvestigation in the case. Former chief electrical engineer T Nagarajan had also moved the court in this regard.
The State government has strongly opposed Godinho’s plea for discharge. Public Prosecutor Adv Sanjay V Samant has filed his reply on behalf of the State, seeking dismissal of the application filed by Godinho.
According to Public Prosecutor Samant stated that the application filed by Godinho was bad in law, not maintainable and deserves to be dismissed.
Advocate Samant said that the court after considering all the material record had come to conclusion to frame charges against all the accused under Sections 409, 420, 365 and 471 read with 120 B of IPC and under Section 13 (1)(d) (i) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The Crime Branch had filed a charge sheet against former power minister and six others in connection with the alleged Rs 4.52 crore power rebate scam.
