Kamat misled Pawar about evidence against me: Pacheco

PANAJI - Declaring that he would resign if the charges against him in a murder case were proven, former Goa minister Miccky Pacheco Wednesday blamed Chief Minister Digambar Kamat for misleading NCP chief Sharad Pawar about the “clinching evidence” against him.

The former tourism minister and Nationalist Congress Party legislator, who was arrested in connection with the suspicious death of his 28-year-old alleged girlfriend on July 8, was subsequently released and attended the monsoon session of the assembly Wednesday.

“I was pressurised to resign or I was told I would be dismissed. The chief minister had given assurance to my leader Mr Pawar, that the police had clinching evidence against me. The chief minister should make a statement or take action against the police department,” Pacheco said.

He added that he would resign as legislator if any of the charges against him were proven.

Pacheco also accused state Home Minister Ravi Naik of targeting minority community politicians.

Responding to Pacheco’s charge made on the floor of the house, Kamat said: “I had not pressurised the (NCP) political leadership in Delhi. I am making a statement that during those days I had not called Sharad Pawar nor Praful Patel.”

Pacheco and his aide Lyndon Monteiro had been booked for culpable homicide and destroying evidence, a few days after 28-year-old Nadia Torrado died after consuming rat poison.