Vasco senior’s 2011 murder case to be handed over to CBI or CB Government notifies GSHRC order recommending transferring senior citizen’s murder case to CBI or CB; Order said probe shoddy and officers lethargic for not giving immediate justice to senior citizen
23 Jan, 2015, TEAM HERALD PANJIM: The Goa government notified an order passed by the Goa State Human Rights Commission recommending the transfer of a senior citizen’s murder case to either Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or to the Crime Branch (CB). In its order of mid-2014, the commission had slammed the police for conducting a shoddy probe in the murder of 71-year-old Ivone Paes by three men, one of whom was identified as Babu alias Parshuram Sitaram Mathodkar on July 6, 2011. The attack had also seriously wounded her husband Maximiano Paes (now 77 years of age). The prime accused was employed with the couple for more than four years before the alleged murder, in their bungalow. Maximiano had approached the GSHRC seeking justice after the then Verna police team failed to investigate the case thoroughly. The commission headed by Justice P K Mishra observed that police have failed to satisfactorily explain the inordinate delay in the investigation where neither a final report nor charge sheet has been filed. The investigating officers had justified this saying that investigations are in progress and that there is no delay on the part of police officials in investigating the case. In his affidavit, Maximiano had stated that he has clearly named Babu before the Verna Police Station on May 19, 2012 and also in his statement before the Special Judicial Magistrate on July 18, 2012. The commission remarked that there is no justification for not involving the said Babu as suspect stating that it appears the case has not been properly investigated by the police and so has caused miscarriage of justice. “It is regrettable to note that even the supervisory officers were totally lethargic in giving proper directions to the concerned investigation officers. It is settled law that every citizen is entitled for fair and impartial investigation so also for speedy trial including investigation of crimes. The investigation conducted by Verna Police in this case is far from satisfactory,” it further observed that the case ought to be given priority and hence recommended transferring the case to CBI or CB.
