The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed yet another chargesheet against education minister Atanasio Monserrate and two others for allegedly attempting to take away an accused arrested by the police after entering Panaji police station on February 19, 2008.
The CBI had filed its first chargesheet in the Panaji police station attack case last year. The second chargesheet, filed by the premier investigative agency before the Panaji chief judicial magistrate on May 31, 2010, seeks to prosecute Monserrate, former Panaji mayor Tony Rodrigues and one Rajesh Ravindran under Section 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharge of duty) read with Section 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. On the basis of an FIR lodged by the then Panaji PI in the attack case, the CBI said in the chargesheet that the accused demanded the release one Mainardo alias Toto from police custody. “They entered the police station and attempted to take away the arrested accused and obstructed the complainant (Panaji police PI) and other police persons in discharge of their duties,” the chargesheet notes. While mentioning that the police resisted the attempt of the accused, the chargesheet points out that four police personnel were injured in the incident. It may be recalled that CBI had earlier submitted a chargesheet in the police station attack case against Monserrate and 36 others for allegedly damaging the police station and injuring the policemen. In the previous chargesheet, the CBI had revealed that due to an inflammatory, inciting and provocative speech of the Taleigao MLA, the unlawful assembly had turned violent. It had charged Monserrate and others with rioting, unlawful assembly, rioting and unlawful assembly with deadly weapons, causing hurt and grievous hurt to public servants and committing mischief. The CBI pointed out that over 500 persons from Taleigao, led by Monserrate, had allegedly attacked the police and the police station, and stated that the mob went on a rampage demanding action against police for harassing Monserrate’s supporters. In April 2010, Monserrate had appeared before the court to receive a copy of the previous chargesheet following summons. While Monserrate was preparing to defend himself in the police station attack case, he has now been slapped with another chargesheet in the same inciden _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. https://signup.live.com/signup.aspx?id=60969
