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Goa Crime Branch Police Inspector Mrs. Ezilda D' Souza, investigating officer of the Ribandar Church molestation case has reportedly been sternly censured by top police bosses for intentionally delaying to file the chargesheet against Ribandar Parish priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues even though the investigation of the case was complete. She has been directed to file the targeted immediately and her request to relieve her from the case has been turned down and has been told that on taking oath as police officer she was bound to discharge her duties with responsibility, fairly and fearlessly. It may be recalled that Mrs. Ezilda D' Souza had at the fag end of the investigation reportedly sought a transfer from her current posting claiming that as a Roman Catholic and being also from Ribandar she did not have the moral courage to charge sheet the Parish Priest. The Old Goa Police station had on 18th August 2004 registered an F.I.R against Ribandar Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues based on a complaint from a 13 year old Ribandar girl that on the pretext of taking confession the Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues took her to a room in the church and molested her. The F.I.R against Ribandar Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues for offences under section 354 IPC (molestation) and section 8(2) of the Goa Children's Act, 2003 though registered at the Old Goa Police station the case was transferred to the Crime Branch at Dona Paula for further investigation. Crime Branch Police Inspector Ezilda D' Souza had in a statement before the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court on 16th September submitted that the investigation of the alleged molestation case was at the last stage and that the charge sheet against Fr. Newton Rodrigues was being filed shortly. A contempt of Court petition now filed against Police Inspector Mrs. Ezilda D' Souza for not having complied with this undertaking is pending before the High Court. Meanwhile, fearing the embarrassment his impending chargesheeting may cause to the Catholic church especially in view of the forthcoming Exposition the accused priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues has reportedly been making hectic attempts by seeking help of top political leaders from various parties to try and hush up the matter. The accused Priest has also managed to get the victim and her mother to attempt to withdraw their complaint after two months of registering it but this has not been accepted by the top police officers who have decided that the matter should now be dealt by the courts in view of the fact that the victim is a minor and the investigation of the molestation case complete with statements of over 14 witnesses recorded.
