14 Goa policemen found guilty of assaulting minister

PANAJI - Fourteen policemen, including a superintendent of police, three deputy superintendents of police and police inspectors, have been found prima facie guilty of ‘abuse of power’ and ‘gross misconduct’ against Goa Minister Atanasio Monserrate and his family in 2008.

The state police complaint authority (SPCA) has recommended that the police department investigate the 14 policemen, who have been accused by Monserrate of ransacking his home and beating him, his wife, his sons and supporters in 2008 when he was a legislator.

In an order issued Monday, SCPA chairman Justice (Retd) Eurico Santana da Silva said there was “prima facie case of gross misconduct committed by the officers”.

“We have gone through the material on record and we are satisfied that from the very stand taken by the respondents with regard to the relevant facts allegedly involving the concerned police officers, a prima facie case of gross misconduct and/ or abuse of power appears to have been committed by them, which by itself would merit further action,” the order reads.

On Feb 19, 2008, Monserrate leading a mob of unruly supporters stormed the Panaji police station and assaulted policemen with stones and molested women police personnel.

In retaliation, a police team led by SP Neeraj Kumar raided Monserrate’s house, located a short distance away, and allegedly beat up the MLA, his wife and two sons, among others, and Panaji mayor Tony Fernandes, who had tried to intervene.

Following a complaint filed before the SPCA, Silva in his order said that SP Neeraj Thakur, DySP Mohan naik, DySP Subash Goltekar, DySP Shamba Sawant, PI Sudesh Naik, PI CL Patil, PI Gurudas Gawde, PSI Parab, PSI Satish Gawde, HC Ramesh Gawas, PC Sushant Korgaonkar, PC Pramod Kalangutkar, PC Vasudev Kesarkar and LPC Savita Morje were all prima facie guilty of abuse of power and gross misconduct.

“Hence, we direct the complaint should proceed against them for the purpose of ascertaining the truth of the matter,” reads the order by the SPCA, which has only recommendatory powers.

Incidentally, this is not Atanasio Monserrate’s first brush with the law. The education minister has been earlier listed officially as a ‘goonda’ element in police records and has been booked for extortion.

His son Rohit Monserrate is now being tried for raping a minor German girl last year.

–Indo Asian News Service