PANJIM: The lawyer Gajanan Sawant who was purportedly thrashed by four police personnel at the venue of a property dispute on December 8, 2022, causing grievous injuries to his face and mouth, is hoping that a hasty investigation and hurried chargesheet is not filed before the retired High Court judge, appointed to monitor the investigation, takes charge.
The assaulted Adv Gajanan Sawant is the counsel for one of the parties in a bitter despite revolving around land grabbing, at Shantinagar.
On December 23, 2022, the Division Bench of the High Court of Bombay at Goa granted its consent for the appointment of a retired High Court Judge to monitor investigations in the lawyer Gajanan Sawant assault case. Retd. Justice RMS Khandeparkar is yet to start monitoring the police investigation of the case.
Meanwhile, the magisterial inquiry into the case, headed by the North Goa Collector, Mamu Hage, has also started and on Monday (January 9) the statement of Sawant was recorded. The erring cops in the matter will be served notices for statements. Meanwhile, the preliminary inquiry into the role of police in the entire issue has concluded and the report is awaited.
Lawyer Sawant has also deposed before the Collector North Goa into the alleged assault by cops in uniform and given his statement in this matter.
Sawant in his statement has mentioned that the accused cops who were involved in the matter were not in possession of any court warrant of possession or search when they came to the spot. The cops cannot enter some premises without serving notice under Section 41 A. The erring cop was not in uniform or authorised to enter the premises and apply force without any orders. There was no offence or complaint against me on that day to bring me to the police station.
Sawant said that he hopes the police are not hurrying through the investigation and file a chargesheet in the matter before the retired HC Judge RMS Khandeparkar takes over the monitoring of the case.
Meanwhile, the preliminary inquiry of the police that has been held by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Pernem is nearing closure and is awaiting the report.
