PANJIM: Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) forensic chief was quizzed by the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in the sensational custodial death of Non Resident Goan (NRG) Cipriano Fernandes. SDM Sabaji Shetye has however refused to divulge the details of the forensic expert’s statement.
It appears that the SDM is reluctant to process the case or according to the public opinion of the people of Goa, the SDM has been bribed highly by the concerned party to avoid further investigation and a proper report. There is also a talk of the town that the SDM himself an ex-police officer, was equally corrupt as a police officer and as an SDM even worse.
Head of Forensic Department Dr Silvano Sapeco and a team of forensic doctors had conducted post-mortem on Cipriano’s body.
Incidentally, Sapeco is the same doctor who was in the line of fire in the much touted British teenager Scarlet Keeling Eden’s death in February 2008. Goa Government had suspended the forensic head ‘for making irresponsible statements to the media about Scarlet’s autopsy.’
The SDM has already recorded statements of other doctors in the Casualty and OPD wards who attended Cipriano on his admission in the hospital.
Meanwhile even as DySP Bossuet D’Silva submitted its interim report into the procedural lapses by the Panjim police, SDM is dragging its feet over the inquiry into the death. Reacting to this, SDM stated that he is still recording statements of the witnesses. The crucial eye-witness in Cipriano death case would depose before the SDM on Friday.
The 38-year-old seafarer was on his two-month long vacation at his home town in Goa when he was picked by the Panjim police on January 7 evening. The NRG was arrested under ‘preventive measure’ after his woman friend complained against him of threatening her with a knife at her Caranzalem house.
Cipriano succumbed on January 9 morning at GMCH with family members holding Panjim police responsible for his killing. The deceased’s family has refused to take over Cipriano’s body till the SDM discloses the report after completion of the inquiry. Shetye said that he has not recommended for a second post-mortem.
Shetye said that he has summoned eye witness Kenneth Silveira for deposition in this case as he claimed to the media he had seen suspended Police Inspector Sandesh Chodankar and other policemen kicking Cipriano in the custody.
He had said that Cipriano was lying almost dead in the custody with froth oozing from his mouth. When questioned about the post mortem report, the SDM said that he is yet to study the cause of death of Cipriano.
GMCH, last week had submitted Cipriano’s final cause of death to the SDM after receiving the viscera report from the Surat laboratory.
Based on DySP D’Silva’s report, Panjim Police Inspector Sandesh Chodankar, Police Sub-Inspector Radesh Ramnathkar and head constable Sandip Shirvaikar were suspended on January 25 for procedural lapses in the custodial death.
5 comments:
This is a case that will linger on Just as the Scarlett case, how long does it take to record statements of witnesses? Unless the case has to be fixed, so as to favour the police personal involved in the death. Acquittal will be the verdict when the case is presented in court.
Thanks to Gandhi, the police will be free again to preach non-violence to the people of Goa.
This is a Supari killing.
The police are to protect the weak and not to beat up the weak. They are to serve the public, they are public servants, but think that the public is their servant.
Every police man who beats up a person should be suspended or thrown out from the force. The people who are beaten up should come forward and complain, or at the least complain through NG.
All I hope for the people who blatantly deny due justice to the victim meet the same faith.The very fact that the issue which has been widely & openly exposed beyond any doubt is further being delayed is a sign of justice being denied.
Remember sabaji shetye was a cop before he gained this position by numerous ways. He was known for corruption and for accepting bribes even to register civil marriages when he was a registrar. The case is given to a highly efficient match fixer as Diogo mentioned. Why not straight to CBI, get the killer policemen handcuffed and send to Tihar Jail. Do not spare the killers of Scarlet Keeling including Nerlon Albuquere and of course, there are many other officers.
Considering all Goans have become aware of this brutal act by the Police and, since it is now also being investigated by an extremely corrupt ex cop /SDM,I am sure there will have to be a subsequent inquiry.
There is no trust in the first inquiry and hence many matters are now being refered for a 2nd inquiry.
This is an indication of the Public having absolutely no trust in authority.
This is the cost, we have to pay,for people in high places being Corrupt.
The Cipriano case has received a lot of publicity all over the world and also is being actively observed by the O`Heraldo and highlighted daily.
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