SP assures police protection to witness in Dudu case

PANJIM, JAN 19 
Acting on a complaint by a police witness in the Israeli drug dealer David Driham alias Dudu narcotics case, Goa Police today said that they will grant him security as and when he appears before the court.
“We ensure no harm is caused to him. Security will be ensured as and when he deposes in the Court,” Police spokesperson Superintendent of Police Atmaram Deshpande said.
Deshpande said that they have already informed the High Court about the complaint by witness.
“Goa Police will surely provide security to their witness,” he added.
A prime police panch witness, on Saturday had complained to Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC) that he is being threatened to withdraw from the case.
In a letter dated January 15, the witness whose identity is kept confidential wrote to ANC and Deputy Inspector General of Police Ravindra Yadav that two unknown persons, one of whom was a foreign national threatened him.
“They pleaded for help and told me that the evidence should be in favour of the accused (Dudu) and to fumble during the cross-examination and when questioned by the lawyer in the Court. Failing this, they have threatened to harm me and my family,” a crucial witness in the case said in his letter.
The panch witness who claims to have refused their offer, is now worried about security of his family as the unknown men have located his place of stay. “I fear they will harm me and my family,” he stated in his letter.
He had sought police protection from the department. Dudu was arrested from Anjuna in February 2011 by team of ANC officials and since then have been languishing in the jail.
He was recently chargesheeted in the Narcotics and Drugs Psychotropic Substances Court for possessing narcotics including ecstasy tablets, heroin powder, cocaine, liquid LSD and charas to the tune of Rs 3,81,500.
He was convicted and sentenced three days imprisonment in a case of overstaying earlier.