TEAM HERALD
CORTALIM: The fortnightly meeting of the Sancoale panchayat members witnessed uproarious scenes over leave application of former sarpanch and panch Ramakant Borkar, even as the meeting came virtually under security net with officials from the Directorate of Vigilance camping in the panchayat premises.
When Panchayat Secretary Sandhya Shirodkar placed Borkar’s leave application under ‘any other subject’, the panchas led by Mariano Rodrigues, Narayan G Naik and Derrick Vales accused the panchayat secretary of shielding Borkar.
“Why was Borkar’s leave application which is on medical grounds not placed on the agenda for the meeting and brought under ‘any other subject?” Borkar’s leave application was inwarded on October 20. The secretary would have been justified if she had to place the application for October 25 meeting under ‘any other subject’ since the agenda was already finalised. But for today’s meeting the application should have been placed in the agenda,” the panchas said.
The panchas later unanimously requested that the secretary to immediately inform Borkar on Friday that his leave application cannot be granted since there is no medical certificate attached to the leave application. The panchas also requested the secretary to inform the higher-ups accordingly.
If Borkar’s leave application is rejected, then he stands a high chance of being disqualified since he had remained absent for three successive meetings of the members.
Meanwhile, Directorate of Vigilance led by DySP Bossuet Silva was camping in the panchayat premises to arrest Borkar in case he attended the meeting.
The police also produced Borkar’s co-accused Shivanand Bingui who attended the meeting.
According to Silva, Bingui in his bail application to the Special Court constituted under Prevention of Corruption Act has raised the plea that he would stand disqualified if he had not attended Friday’s meeting.
The court thereafter partly allowed the application that Bingui be allowed to attend the meeting under police escort.
After being present for some time, Bingui was whisked away to the lock-up.
According to sources, Bingui’s chances of getting bail appear very unlikely till such time Borkar is absconding.
