Former Tourism Minister Pacheco Remanded to Judicial Custody

MARGAO, JULY 23 Having spent 14 days in the custody of the Crime branch, former Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco was on Friday lodged at the Sada sub-jail after Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao remanded him to 14 days Judicial custody in the Nadia Torrado death case.
In another development, the South Goa sessions court this evening heard arguments on Pacheco’s bail application. Additional sessions Judge B P Deshpande reserved orders on Pacheco’s bail plea to Monday.The former Minister’s legal counsel, Adv Anacleto Viegas submitted to the court that the former Minister is entitled for bail on grounds the prosecution has not made out any case against his client. Adv Viegas drew attention of the Additional sessions Judge that the high court in its order rejecting Pacheco’s bail application had stated that the courts should not be influenced by the observations made in the order while deciding bail plea of the former Minister. Adv Viegas made the submission after Public Prosecutor Sarojini Sardinha submitted that the high court in its order rejecting Pacheco’s bail had observed that there’s prima facie case against the accused.
The defense counsel further said that the investigating agency is still not clear whether they want to charge Pacheco for culpable homicide not amounting to murder of for abetment of suicide, saying sections 304 and 306 of the IPC are not compatible.
On the other hand, the public prosecutor Sarojini Sardinha said that the former Minister is seeking for bail on grounds that the Session of the Legislative Assembly has commenced from July 19 and will continue till July 30. She, however, pointed out that the high court, while rejecting Pacheco’s bail plea, had observed that the MLA is free to approach the court seeking permission to attend the Assembly session.
After hearing arguments, Judge Deshpande has reserved his order to Monday.Earlier in the day, the former Minister was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao after the expiry of his 14 days remand in police custody. After arguments, the JMFC remanded Pacheco to 14 days Judicial custody and the former Minister was taken to the Sada Sub Jail, Vasco.

The former tourism minister was also arrested by the Margao Police in connectin with the forgery case filed by his estranged wife Sara. Sara had filed four different cases of forgery against him in January 2009 in which she had accused him of selling her properties by forging her signature. The judge however turned down the request of the Crime Branch seeking an extension of his custody. The court also admitted the petition in the forgery case whilst transfering Pacheco to the Judicial Custody.

The new defense lawyer of Pacheco, Anacleto Viegas has moved three more anticipatory bail applications before the district and sessions court in Margao. Meanwhile, Pacheco has moved two bail petitions before District court in Nadia death case and forgery case, which would be heard later in the day by Judge B. P. Deshpande.