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HC admits Goa govt’s plea challenging Tarun Tejpal’s acquittal in rape case

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Panaji: The Bombay High Court at Goa on Saturday admitted the application filed by State government challenging acquittal of Tehelka’s Founder Editor Tarun Tejpal in connection with a rape case.

Goa Court had acquitted Tejpal last year of all the charges after which the State government had filed petition before the High Court challenging the order. Tejpal had challenged the maintainability of the application.

In an order on Saturday, division Bench comprising Justices R N Laddha and M S Sonak allowed the application filed by the State government. The Bench observed that “the Court is  not expected to go into the minute details of the prosecution evidence. At this stage, if the material on record discloses the necessity of deeper scrutiny and reappreciation, review, or reconsideration of evidence, the appellate Court must grant leave as sought for and decide the appeal on merits”.

The Judges said that they “not only reject the preliminary objections raised on behalf of the Respondent regarding the maintainability of this application but further allow the application and grant leave under Section 378(3) of Cr.P.C. because we are satisfied that a prima facie case has been made out and arguable points have been raised in the matter.”

The Bench observed “the decision of instituting an appeal against acquittal, in the present case, cannot be said to be a product of non-application of mind or the result of the State Government acting under the dictation of some extraneous authority.”

The HC also has ordered Tejpal to seek bail from the trial court within 15 days.

“The record bears out that the Respondent had been enlarged on bail subject to certain terms and conditions. There is nothing on record to suggest that the Respondent had at any stage breached the terms and conditions subject to which he was enlarged on bail,” the court observed.

Referring to the application filed by Tejpal to get his passport from the court, which is due for renewal, the Bench ruled “respondent appearing before the trial Court within 15 days from today and the trial Court admitting him to bail, the trial Court should make appropriate orders for the release of the Respondent’s passport, which is presently in the custody of the Registry of the trial Court, for the limited purpose of enabling the Respondent to renew the same.”

Crime

Ponda police arrested two govt servants for bribery

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Ponda: Police arrested two government servants for demanding bribe of Rs 20 lakh from a youth on the pretext of providing him a job in police department.

Sachin Pokhle, resident of Dhavali, Ponda who is currently working at Apna Ghar and Pankah Fadte from Morjim working at Secretariat were arrested by Ponda police.

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Crime

Complaint filed against MLA Jit Arolkar over illegal land grabbing and fraudulent sale of property

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A complaint has today been filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against Mandrem MLA Jit Vinayak Arolkar on the illegal grabbing and fraudulent sale of property admeasuring 1,48,800.00 sq. mtrs at Dhargal in Pernem Taluka bearing survey no 481/0.

The complaint has been filed by Adv. Rodrigues before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) at the Crime Branch on instructions and under due authorisation of his client Mr. Rawloo Vaikunth Khalap, a Senior Citizen aged 76, native of Mapusa but now residing at California in the United States of America.

Pointing out that a hilly landed property known as “Kapni Voril Ghera”, bearing Survey No. 481/0, admeasuring 1, 48,800.00 sq. mtrs situated at Dhargal was co-owned by Late Vaikunth Shet Khalap and Late Sadashiv Sakharam Natekar, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that on the death of Vaikunth Shet Khalap on 13th August 1979 and his wife Shaila Vaikunth Khalap on 24th November 2007 that his client Rawloo Vaikunth Khalap is now one of the co-owners.

Adv. Rodrigues in his complaint has stated that Jit Arolkar based on a Power of Attorney dated 24/12/2012 deceitly executed between him and legal heirs of Late Sadashiv Sakharam Natekar took over the affairs of the and illegally created approx. 200 plots in the property between 8/11/2013 and 14/3/2018 while illegally and fraudulently executing sale deeds with third parties and selling the entire property without the express consent of all the legal heirs of the co-owners of the property.

The complaint states that despite the property being undivided and common with no partition of land or share carried out by any authority that by devious acts of the accused Jit Arolkar the Form I & XIV now reflects number of illegal mutation entries.

The complaint further states that the property is depicted as orchard land on the regional development plan and till date no conversion of land sanads have been issued by any authority or any conversion proceedings conducted before Dy. Collector of Pernem or North Goa Collector.

Adv. Rodrigues in his complaint has further stated that Jit Arolkar in gross violation of law with political patronage and funds allegedly generated through land scams has also funded and constructed tar roads illegally connecting to the village road and electricity poles also installed unlawfully while no action has been taken by the Electricity department and PWD.

Adv. Rodrigues in his complaint has further drawn the attention of the SIT that Jit Arolkar has also reportedly illegally created number of small plots in the adjacent property bearing Survey No. 498 and merrily in defiance of law has similarly illegally and fraudulently sold to various parties plots by executing similar devious sale deeds.

The complaint also states that the entire illegality, high-handed and systematic land grabbing scam that Mr. Rawloo Vaikunth Khalap has had to endure had been brought to the notice of various government departments but due to political clout enjoyed by the Jit Arolkar no action whatsoever has been taken.

Stating that Jit Arolkar had in 2001 joined the Goa Police as a constable only to quit within a decade possibly after making a huge fortune on land scams which is an issue that has to be investigated by the SIT, Adv. Rodrigues has along with the complaint submitted a copy of the affidavit filed by Jit Arolkar on 28th January this year before the returning officer along with his nomination papers for the Mandrem Assembly Constituency which reveals that Jit Arolkar has blatantly amassed very huge wealth beyond his known sources of income.

Seeking that the complaint be registered as an F.I.R against Jit Arolkar and be promptly investigated in accordance with law, Adv. Rodrigues has expressed the hope that the SIT will act without fear or favor despite the accused currently being an MLA supporting the ruling government. (GoaNewsHub)

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Crime

Another arrest in Jail Guard drugs case at Colvale

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Colvale police have arrested one Mr. Yogesh Pagi R/o Canacona in connection with drugs case in which initially a Jail guard Mr. Suresh Gaude was arrested some days ago.

As per SDPO Mapusa Jivba Dalvi during interrogation with the arrested jail guard it was revealed that the drugs were meant for under trial prisoner Mr. Vikat Bhagat R/o Canacona and the said drugs were given to the jail guard by one Mr. Yogesh Pagi.

Accordingly a trap was laid on 25/06/2022 and late night accused Yogesh Pagi was nabbed from Agonda, Canacona and placed under arrest.

Police have also sought the custody of Vikat Bhagat through transfer warrant.

Further investigation is in progress with Pi Somnath Majik under supervision of SP Shri Shobit Saxena IPS and SDPO Mapusa Shri Jivba Dalvi.

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