Probe ordered against city cops
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JAN 13
State Police Complaints Authority has taken suo moto cognizance of the news report on the death of an NRI chef in police custody.
Chairman Justice Eurico Santana da Silva has directed its office to register the news report dated January 12 on Herald as ‘Suo Moto Inquiry Proceedings’ against Panjim police officers of gross misconduct.
In his order on Thursday, the chairman has also directed issuing notices to the North Goa Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas and the Herald reporter to present facts of the case known to them regarding the incident.
“We have gone through the news item under the caption “Rights group demands judicial inquiry into NRI chef’s death” published in the newspaper “oHeraldo” dated January 12, 2010, which prima facie suggests commission of acts of gross misconduct eventually committed by some police officers of North Goa District, namely, from Panjim police station”, the order reads.
“In this connection, we propose to hold suo moto inquiry proceedings to actually establish the factual position in the reported incident of Cipriano’s death in police custody”, the order further reads reserving the matter for January 17.
Utt Goenkara activists and kin of the 39-year-old NRI had demanded a judicial enquiry into the alleged custodial death, who they claim died in police custody.
Cosme Fernandes, cousin of the deceased Cipriano and the latter’s lady friend accused several police officers of beating the NRI chef to death, first in a police jeep on January 7 and in police custody on the subsequent day.
Cipriano was a chef working on board an ocean-liner. Cosme had also accused the police of stealing credit cards and cash which was on Cipriano’s person, when he was picked by the police.
According to the police, Cipriano was picked up on January 7 evening after he allegedly threatened a lady friend, who had complained to the police. He was not even taken for medical examination.
