Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The North Goa Special Court has acquitted Socorro residents Viraj Pirankar and Jitendra Halankar of charges including assault, criminal intimidation and caste-based abuse under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The court found that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt, particularly after the complainant and a key witness did not support the allegations during the trial.
The case stemmed from an alleged incident on the evening of November 14, 2021, near a bar at Lima Waddo in Socorro. According to the complaint filed at Porvorim Police Station, the accused had allegedly abused complainant Rohan Volvoikar and his friend Lakhan Kaskar, assaulted Volvoikar, damaged his wife’s mangalsutra and clothing, and brandished a koita.
Halankar was also accused of allegedly using derogatory caste remarks against Kaskar, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste community.
Charges were subsequently framed against the accused for offences including voluntarily causing hurt, causing grievous hurt, intentional insult, criminal intimidation and mischief, along with relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
During the trial, the prosecution examined three witnesses — complainant Rohan Volvoikar, Lakhan Kaskar and investigating officer DySP Vishwesh Karpe.
The prosecution’s case was weakened when Volvoikar told the court that he did not wish to pursue the matter, stating that he wanted to maintain cordial and peaceful relations with the accused, who live in his neighbourhood.
Volvoikar testified that he had voluntarily decided not to pursue the case and stated that there had been no external pressure, coercion or monetary settlement.
The court noted that neither Volvoikar nor Kaskar supported the allegations contained in the original complaint or gave evidence establishing the alleged assault, intimidation or caste-based offences.
The testimony of the investigating officer was largely confined to procedural aspects and the filing of the chargesheet, with no independent incriminating evidence emerging during the trial.
In the absence of evidence establishing the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt, the court acquitted Pirankar and Halankar of all charges.
