PANJIM: In a major setback to Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godino, the Suprme Court on Wednesday declined to grant any relief to the Minister, who had challenged High Court of Bombay at Goa order of framing charges against him in the multi-crore power scam case.
A bench of the Supreme ,Court comprising Justice NV Ramana and Justice S Abdul Nazeer, declined to give any relief to Godinho and directed that he should argue his defence before the Special Court under the Prevention of Corruption Act in Goa.
Accordingly Godinho withdrew the Special Leave Petition which he had filed in 2007.
Speaking to Herald, senior counsel Adv Atmaram Nadkarni, appearing on behalf of the Goa government, said that the State objected to Godinho’s plea and the same was accepted by the Supreme Court. “No relief was granted to Godinho, who then withdrew his plea,” he said.
By an order dated October 26, 2007, Justice Nelson Britto of the Hight Court of Bombay at Goa had directed framing of charges against Godinho under Section 13(1) (d) (i) and (iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 read with Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code in connection with the alleged power scam case.
Then Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar was the complainant in the matter.
On May 3, 2011 a Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice R V Raveendran and Justice H L Dattu had dismissed the civil appeal which was filed by Godinho in the same matter.
