Goemkarponn Desk
MARGAO: Based on the closure report that the CBI filed with the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Panaji, as well as the complaints dated February 22, 2008 and March 1, 2008, the South Goa Sessions Court granted Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate permission to cross-examine prosecution witnesses in the Panaji police attack case.
Nonetheless, the Revenue Minister’s request for the CBI to provide a copy of the closure report to the trial court was denied by the court.
In his cross-complaints against certain police officers in the case, the Revenue Minister had applied to the Sessions Court for an order directing the CBI to provide the closure report.
In reality, the attorney for Monserrate had informed the court that the CBI had not looked into the cross-complaints he had made against the police officers and that he had filed the closure with the magistrate’s court without conducting an investigation or filing a formal complaint.
“South Goa Sessions Judge Irshad Agha ordered that the application filed by Monserrate be partly allowed, in that accused no. 1 and 2 are entitled to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses based on complaints dated 22.02.2008 and 01.03.2008 and closure report filed by the CBI before the Court of CJM, North Goa, Panaji.”
Judge Agha has instructed to send a letter requesting the production of the original FIR register containing the FIR No. 57/2008 to the Panaji police station’s in-charge.
On March 22, the Court granted the CBI’s application, which asked for the production of the original FIR Register/Book containing the FIR recorded under Cr No. 57/2008 by the Panaji police station’s in-charge for the purpose of verification and comparison.
