Team Goemkarponn
MERCES: The Special Court at Merces has released the prime accused, Zenito Cardozo, on bail in the Rama Kankonkar attempt-to-murder case. Bail was granted upon execution of a ₹5-lakh bond.
Cardozo — labelled by police as a habitual offender — is among eight men booked for the assault on Kankonkar. He moved his bail plea on November 18, a day after investigators filed the chargesheet. The court had previously sent him and two others to judicial custody, later extending their remand by 14 days on October 31.
The attack on Kankonkar in Merces earlier this month, reportedly linked to a local dispute, has drawn significant public attention owing to Kankonkar’s role in civic activism and Cardozo’s alleged criminal track record. All eight accused were arrested soon after the incident, amid mounting demands for stringent action.
Investigators maintain that the offences are grave and warn that releasing the accused at this point could compromise the case, arguing that witnesses may face intimidation and that certain angles of the conspiracy need further probing. The defence has countered that the accusations are overstated and that the accused have been cooperating.
Meanwhile, a request to verify Kankonkar’s caste certificate has added complexity to the matter, as the findings may determine whether sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act apply. Police say the verification is necessary before the probe can be considered complete.
