Had a very fruitful meeting with Goa Governor Mridula Sinha at Raj Bhavan yesterday and raised four issues of public importance on which the Governor was very positive.
Have explained to the Governor that it was very appalling that the Government is very high-handedly attempting to pardon Goa’s convicted former Rural Development Minister Mickky Pacheco who is undergoing a six month jail sentence at Sad Jail. As Mickky Pacheco is a political heavy weight, the Government is clearly conniving and colluding with him to derail the due process of law from taking course by now trying to give him the benefit of pardon under Article 161 of the Constitution. The attention of the Governor’s was drawn that Pardon is to help in saving an innocent person from being punished due to miscarriage of justice or in a case of doubtful conviction, and that the power of Pardon could not be misused malafiedly to rescue Mickky Pacheco whose conviction by four Courts has been even upheld by the Supreme Court. Power of Pardon cannot be on extraneous consideration and exercised arbitrarily, malafidely or in absolute disregard of the finer cannons of law. Mickky Pacheco’s case by no stretch of imagination warrants a pardon as he has been rightly convicted for a serious offence of having as a Minister assaulted a public servant while on duty. Have also drawn Governor Mridula Sinha’s attention that attending the ensuing monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly which begins on July 27th is not a matter of Right for the now jailed Former Minister and Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco. Pointing out that the law on this issue has been clearly espoused by the Supreme Court and various High Courts, it was pointed out to the Governor that Speaker Rajendra Arlekar has to act within the parameters of law and legislative precedents and cannot show undue favour to Mickky Pacheco just because he is an MLA supporting the ruling BJP Government. The Governor was also urged to order a detailed and impartial probe into the blatant financial irregularities and illegalities allegedly committed by the Principal of Police Training School Superintendent of Police Atmaram Deshpande. The probe must be above board and those officers attempting to shield Atmaram Deshpande should also be held culpable and punished. The cavalier attempt by the authorities to unduly shelter Atmaram Deshpande runs clearly contrary to the much prophesied mantra of this government on Zero tolerance to Corruption. The gross misdeeds by Atmaram Deshpande as Principal of Police Training School cannot be allowed to be pushed under the carpet. Every paisa spent from the State Exchequer must be accounted for and spent strictly in accordance with law. Lastly the attention of Governor Mridula Sinha was drawn to the highly reprehensible and insensitivity of the Government to the distressed plight and hardship being faced by the students, staff and parents of Sharada Mandir School on account of the sordid state of that now perilous Miramar-Dona Paula Road. As the Bombay High Court has ruled that citizens have a fundamental right to good roads, Governor Sinha was requested to direct the Government to expedite the work of the now dug up Miramar- Dona Paula Road especially in view of the grave hardship being faced by thousands of students at Sharada Mandir School. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
