‘Quiz all mentioned in Bismarque video’

PANJIM: The petitioners and friends of Bismarque Dias on Tuesday demanded that Crime Branch should investigate the case accurately, including the interrogation of five crucial witnesses.

The petitioners and friends claimed that there were loopholes in the previous investigation and hence they are  demanding accurate investigation.

Bismarque was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a river at St Estevam village in 2015 following which the Crime Branch had initiated investigation. But the investigating officer had ruled out foul play in his death, claiming it as "death due to drowning."

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court at Goa, on hearing a writ petition filed by friends of Bismarque had asked the Crime Branch to file an FIR in the case and reopen the investigation.

Addressing the media, the petitioners have demanded that Crime Branch should accurately investigate the case,  including interrogation of five crucial witnesses.

“All those mentioned by Bismarque as a threat to his life in the video recording which he made prior to his death, which include the members of St Estevam Panchayat and certain builders and representatives of mega construction companies must be thoroughly interrogated. Similarly, grievous injuries on Bismarque’s forehead and neck during the first inquest panchanama conducted on 07/11/15 do not reflect in the two subsequent post-mortem reports,” said petitioners Sudeep Dalvi, Kennedy Afonso and Samir Kelekar.

Further, the trio has also demanded the five key witnesses who had seen Bismarque at a location different from that mentioned by two boys who were seen along with him, need to be properly examined for the truth to come out.

“Also the blood-stained vest of Bismarque which was found by his friends and handed over to the Old Goa Police said to contain no human blood as per the police version, but it wasn’t stated at all that if not blood, then of what the stains were composed of. Therefore, we demand a thorough investigation in this affair and reexamination of the said vest,” the trio said.

It may be recalled that Crime Branch after a detailed inquiry had concluded that Bismarque’s death was due to drowning and a closure report was submitted to the sub-divisional magistrate, Tiswadi.

However, the HC has now also asked Crime Branch to submit its progress report to the court every three months. The court has observed that when family members had filed a complaint alleging murder, and body was found under suspicious conditions, it was the duty of the police to register it as a murder and investigate.