Police submit case papers to court

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-10-28
PANAJI - The Goa police on Monday submitted the files relating to the investigation into the case of alleged rape of minor German girl, to the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court. The police have complied with the court’s direction of submitting a copy of the investigation files to it by 5 p.m., confirmed police sources.
The Attorney General, Mr Subodh Kantak informed the court during the hearing on Monday before Mr Justice A P Lawande that the German minor girl is to give her statement before the JMFC, Mapusa on November 1. The High Court also directed Mr Kantak to submit an affidavit before the court on November 4. The next hearing is fixed for November 5.
The counsel for the girl’s mother, Mr Aires Rodrigues confirmed to the media after the hearing that the girl was willing to give her statement. He told ‘The Navhind Times’ that the turnaround came about as the girl had probably realised that at present her options were limited. Media reports say that she had been admitted to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour a few days back and had been discharged on Monday. The police also feel that they have done all they could and the onus now is on the mother to get the girl to give her statement so the case can move forward. The JMFC court had directed the girl to depose before it after a petition was filed by the police. Sources say that the police had initially approached the Children’s Court with a request to record the girl’s statement but the court had directed them to approach the JMFC, Mapusa. On the basis of the petition the court had issued summons to the mother to produce the girl before the court. The court had also directed the police to record the statement of Warren Alemao, the nephew of the PWD Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao on Tuesday.
On the complaint of the delay between the filing of the complaint and the filing of charges the court was told that an inquiry has been filed against the head constable for sitting on the complaint.
Meanwhile, replying to allegations of harassment of his client, the German researcher, levelled by her lawyer, the superintendent of police, Mr Bosco George rubbished these claims saying: “That does not pertain to the Calangute police. The Foreigners Registration Office has asked for these clarifications. As all queries are routed through the local police this letter has come through the Calangute police station.” He stressed that this had nothing to do with the investigation and he had explained this to Mr Rodrigues on Sunday itself.
Earlier, Mr Rodrigues speaking to the media had charged the Calangute Police with trying to harass the mother by writing a letter to her asking for information about her daily activities, her business activities, source of income and vehicles purchased in Goa
within two days. He had alleged the police were harassing the researcher at the behest
of some high profile politicians. He had also alleged that one of the politicians involved was in Delhi trying to get the IGP and the DGP transferred.