PANJIM: Four constables attached to sub-jail, Sada and escort cell, Bogda were Wednesday suspended for dereliction of duty in two separate incidents reported in Vasco. Addressing the media Wednesday, the Superintendent of Police, Special Cell, Mr Atmaram Deshpande informed that constables Sadanand Malik and Gauresh Pednekar have been placed under suspension by the principal of police training school (PTS), Valpoi, Mr Shekhar Prabhudessai, who is investigating the matter.
Both the constables were suspended after an undertrial, Michael Fernandes, who was arrested in theft cases, escaped from their custody on Tuesday while being taken to Sada sub-jail at Vasco in an escort van. The escort van was carrying back around 8-10 undertrials after producing them in Mapusa court. Taking advantage of the van slowing down due to traffic congestion at Chicalim junction, the undertrial jumped out of the van window and escaped on a motorcycle. Mr Deshpande said that efforts are on to trace Michael, who is wanted in many cases. According to Vasco police, an offence under Section 224 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the escapee undertrial.
In another case, two other constables Pradeep Patil and Suraj Gaonkar, attached to escort cell, Bogda were placed under suspension after a local television channel showed them enjoying ice-cream at a parlour in Vasco with an undertrial under the pretext of taking him for medical treatment on Monday night.
The undertrial Balesh Desai, accused in Samir Mapari murder case, had complained of uneasiness and headache and was taken to the Chicalim Cottage Hospital for medical examination. On their way back, the police constables along with the undertrial stopped at the ice cream parlour. A departmental inquiry is being conducted into the matter by the Superintendent of Police, PTS, (training), Mr D K Sawant.
Mr Deshpande said there is an urgent need to have medical facilities at the jail itself as problems faced by escort cops while taking the undertrials to medical centres could be minimised. He also said that there is a lack of dedicated police jeeps for taking undertrials and criminals to courts or for medical aid, as a result of which they need to be transported in the escort vans. "All the border police posts have been alerted and other measures are being taken to trace the escapee undertrial," said Mr Deshpande. While replying to a query, Mr Deshpande said taking an undertrial to an ice-cream parlour is a very serious breach of discipline and assured that the police department would strictly deal with the matter.
Do we see a nexus between the lower rungs of the police and criminals? Who ever heard of police constables taking an undertrial to an ice cream parlour?
ReplyDeleteto Joaquimcorreiaafonso::: No dobt these cops that escorted Michael ,we defenitely in cahoots with Michael for a payment.How come did a friend of Michael follow on a motorcycle,which was used as an escape vehicle.Michael must have been allowed phone calls to his friend to carry out this heist.The timings seem too be too perfect to be a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteMichaels friend will also now be arrested as an abbeter to a crime.
These cops shpould be sacked...not just suspended pending an incestigation., as Michael is a major and prolflic criminal.He has committed several crimes .It is good though to see Goa Police,who have been stated by Kamat and Naik to be very professional,being caught out on a daily basis.I am sure more cops will be caught soon conducting and being part of greater criminal activity. It may not be part of their training,but in time they all are taught how to cheat and benefit from crime.
Chandrakant Salgaonkar is the one I am gunning for.He is a first class "criminal minded" cop.The most wanted by all Goans.