PANJIM: Five days after Goa police failed to arrest the person involved in the Russian rape case, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, terming the incident ‘shameful’ has decided to take the Home Department to task for delaying the inquiry.
“It is a shameful incident. I will move a note to the Home Department today (Tuesday) to expedite inquiry and bring the case to a logical conclusion,” he told media persons responding to a question on the incident.
A 25-year-old Russian tourist had accused one James D’Souza, owner of Morjim-based guest house ‘Morjim Club’, of raping her on April 28. D’Souza has been missing since then and the police are groping in the dark regarding his whereabouts.
Parulekar conceded that Home department is reluctant to act in certain cases. “In this case, I will deal with them strictly,” he added.
He admitted that such incidents would affect tourism in the State and said, “No doubt such shameful cases taint Goa’s image as a tourist destination. It should not happen and the Home Department should be alert.”
The Russian girl, currently holidaying in Goa had complained to Pernem police that D’Souza entered her room at about 4:30am when she was fast asleep. The medical examination confirmed rape. Goa government has been tightlipped on the issue with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, also the MLA from Mandrem, failing to seek a police report on the case.
