HC ADJOURNS SUNITA SAWANT ‘S PETITION AGAINST AIRES TO 6TH DEC

PANJIM: Bombay High Court at Goa Justice N.A. Britto today adjourned to December 6th arguments on the petition filed by Police Inspector Sunita Sawant challenging the acquittal of Adv. Aires Rodrigues in the 2004 Ribandar Church case.

Adv. Aires Rodrigues today drew the attention of Justice Britto that that the two Special Public Prosecutors Mahesh Amonkar and Milena Pinto have not been officially appointed to appear in the revision petition filed by Inspector Sunita Sawant against him and that they were appearing illegally.

When asked by Justice Britto to explain this, Adv. Mahesh Amonkar who found himself cornered assured the court to submit his explanation at the next hearing.

Every hearing of the petition filed against Adv. Rodrigues is costing the State Rs 7000 by way of fees being paid to the two Special Public Prosecutors handling the case against Adv. Rodrigues.

Adv. Rodrigues today also submitted before Justice Britto that Inspector Sunita Sawant herself could not have filed the revision petition as it had to be filed by the State through its Public Prosecutor. Adv. Rodrigues’s also submitted that the law does not permit a second revision in the same case.

Adv. Aires Rodrigues today told Justice Britto that Special Public Prosecutor Mahesh Amonkar was lying and misleading the High Court.

Adv. Rodrigues also told Justice Britto that Mahesh Amonkar on 22nd Nov made a false statement before the High Court that he had paid the necessary process and postage fees in the High Court registry in the case when infact he had not done so.

Adv. Rodrigues also stated that Mahesh Amonkar on 15th Nov made another false statement before the High Court that the remaining accused in the 2004 Ribandar Church case have been charged and are being tried.

Adv. Rodrigues drew Justice Britto’s attention that the case against the other accused has not started with even the charge not framed as one of the accused a 80 year old widow who is bedridden has been unable to yet come to court.

The first revision filed by the Government was dismissed by the Sessions Judge Mrs. Vijaya Pol on 4th June this year while upholding Panaji Chief Judicial Magistrate Mr.P.M.Shinde’s order discharging Adv. Rodrigues from the 2004 Ribandar Church case.

Along with Adv. Aires Rodrigues, 14 other Ribandar residents have been charge sheeted in the case. he charge sheet has been filed in connection with an incident that allegedly took place in 2004 at the Ribandar Church premises when Adv. Aires Rodrigues was leading an agitation demanding action against the then Ribandar Parish priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13 year old girl from Ribandar.