VIBHA VERMA
vibha@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Crime Branch (CB) officials who appear to be working overnight to file a water tight case against Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal are bogged down with 88 cases, a burden which has challenged the investigation capacity of this elite unit.
Figures available from the Home Ministry has revealed that the CB which hogged the limelight during investigation into the case against Tejpal has miserably failed to probe 88 cases, of which nine are undetected, challenging this force of professionals.
The CB which hit the news headlines after it booked former tourism Minister Francisco Pacheco ‘Mickky’ in the Nadia Torrado suicide case developed cold feet soon after. Almost three and half years after the case was booked, the final chargesheet is yet to be filed by the CB, which ironically is hurrying to chargesheet Tejpal within one and half month.
The high profile Nadia suicide case had relevant evidences such as hard disks attached which were subsequently sent for forensic to Hyderabad Central Forensic Science Laboratory. The officials are now citing delay in receiving the report as the reason for a delayed charge sheet.
In yet another case which began with a bang and later turned into damp squib is the custodial death of NRI Cipriano Fernandes in January 2011. The case allegedly involving several policemen from Panjim police station was referred to the CBI, which refused taking up this case and reverted it back to the crime branch. The investigation like many others is currently in cold storage.
Another sensational case is that of Mapusa jewelry shop owner Ratnakar Raikar who was done to death during broad day light day light on September 16, 2012. The accused Sahidul Islam Abdul Jalil Mandal, a 28-year-old native of 24 Parganas, was arrested in West Bengal this September. He worked as an assistant to Raikar and after the crime had fled with gold ornaments and a huge amount of case from the store. It is learnt that although he was under the suspicion radar, the CB had not taken the input seriously.
Interestingly, a 2009-year attempted murder case is also pending investigation for the reason that two unidentified murderers are yet to be identified and traced.
The Vasco rape case of January 14, 2013, before being handed over to CBI in August was investigated by CB but there was no trace of the accused. The CBI has also till date failed to even identify the suspected rapist.
Among the theft cases such as vehicles stolen, excavator stolen among others, the reasons for ending investigation is because it is either waiting for the owners’ to be traced or stolen machineries to be recovered.
In yet another case, the lone temple desecration case probed by CB, it is still undetected. The senior police officer refuse they are sidelining the other cases but the figures shows it all.
The CB is investigating three murder cases, one attempted murder, two cases of rape (one of which is transferred to CBI), one culpable homicide and many cases of theft, extortion, misappropriation and others. It has 33 cases of cheating, and none have been chargesheeted as of now. There are various cases which are dating to year 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well. Most of these cases are related to criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The CB is not handling mining-related offences anymore. All the eight cases involving Jitendra Deshprabhu and others are now being investigated by a specially formed SIT headed by DIG Vyas. The SIT is investigating a total of nine mining cases with a fresh one involving Congress politicians and several Mines Department officials.
According to figures, the Crime Branch has miserably failed to probe 88 cases, of which nine are undetected
