Herald: Your unceremonious exit from the case had then raised many an eyebrow. What was the main reason behind your removal as Special Public Prosecutor?
Adv Gomes: Former Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar had told the media that I have been removed for repeatedly going to the media on the investigations of the case. The CM’s statement was not convincing at all because I had never briefed the media on the investigations part. But, I had later learnt through my sources that the main person behind my removal was none other than the Canacona MLA and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar since I had called for his interrogation by the investigating agency.
Herald: What do you have to say on the investigations into the case? Are the investigating agency and the government serious in the investigations?
Adv Gomes: The case is just dragging on for a year now. In fact, I have been on record that time that the case will never be taken to its logical conclusion. I had even said that the case will end in an acquittal the way investigation of the case was being carried out by the agencies. It’s a year now and what I have said then has come true. The two builders have not yet been arrested till date. The officials who have been arrested in the case have not yet been charge sheeted. This very well shows that investigations are not progressing to their logical end.
Herald: Do you feel that interrogation of the Sports Minister would have helped send the right signal to all concerned?
Adv Gomes: Yes, very much. The Sports Minister ought to have been interrogated in the case since he had an office in the Ruby Residency project. This would have sent a right signal to the two builders, who went into hiding immediately after the collapse. Even the investigating agency was found dragging its feet in rounding up the officials responsible for clearing the project. The case is today not charge sheeted in the court of law, but the government officials have already been reinstated.
