Team Herald
PANJIM: In a major twist to the Rs 1 lakh Transport Department bribery case, Dattaram Gawade, has told the Special Court North Goa that he wants to retract his statement made under Section 164 of CrPC.
Sources said that Gawade, the peon in the Transport Department who was arrested while accepting the bribe, could be under pressure to withdraw the statement. Sources at the judicial lockup said that a top officer of the Transport Department and the relative of another were pressurizing Gawade in judicial custody. Based on the ACB noting the government transferred Desai from the Transport Department this week. ACB officials have refused to comment on the issue.
Gawade was arrested from the Transport Department on August 28 while receiving Rs 1 lakh as a bribe to settle the service issues of the AMVI Alister Fernandes. Fernandes, in his complaint had said that Gawade had sought Rs 5 lakh to handover to then Transport Director Arun Desai.
Gawade is being represented by a high-profile lawyer Damodar Dhond. Sources said the Public Prosecutor will be allowed to oppose Gawade’s plea.
ACB has already quizzed Desai and Deputy Director Vishram Govekar is the case, and the latter’s house was also searched and property documents seized, which are being scrutinized.
ACB sources said that Gawade had initially named Desai, but later changed his stand and informed that the bribe was taken at the behest of Govekar. Gawade, was attached to Desai’s office and comes from Desai’s village in Ponda.
