Former Goa tourism minister booked for culpable homocide
By IANSThursday, June 10, 2010
PANAJI - Former Goa tourism minister Mickky Pacheco has been booked for culpable homicide and destruction of evidence over the death of his alleged lover Nadia Torrado, police told a court which Thursday rejected his anticipatory bail plea.
Considering the 12-odd bruises on Torrado’s body found during the post mortem, she could have been forcibly administered the rat poison May 15, police told a local court.
Torrado, 28, died 15 days later at a Chennai hospital.
Pacheco, who has been underground for nearly a week, had been earlier named as a suspect in the case. His plea for an anticipatory bail was rejected by the Margao District and Sessions Court Thursday.
“From the statements of the witnesses, post mortem reports, circumstantial and scientific evidence, it is clear Pacheco has been involved in this crime and is evading his arrest,” Crime Branch officials said in a written statement before Judge B.P. Deshpande, while opposing the anticipatory bail application filed by the former minister.
The investigators further said that a complaint had been filed against Pacheco under culpable homicide and destruction of evidence Thursday.
“There is enough evidence on record to accuse him of being involved in the crime,” police said, adding that the former minister’s arrest and custodial interrogation was essential to collect more evidence.
“There is a strong possibility that the applicant accused may tamper with the evidence,” police told the court, while opposing his anticipatory bail plea.
Sources close to Pacheco told IANS that he will now be approaching the Bombay High Court for anticipatory bail.
On Wednesday, police told the Margao court that Torrado’s mother had instructed her maid to destroy five bags of documents and clothes, after her daughter consumed rat poison.
Torrado’s mother, who was called to the Crime Branch of Goa Police for questioning, Wednesday filed a petition in the high court and accused police of harassing her and forcing her to make false allegations against Pacheco.
She also requested the court to order a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the death of her daughter.
