OHERALDO
GOA
Pg3 GOA, SATURDAY, 8 JANUARY, 2011
NO GOOD LUCK FOR GUDLAR
Is he paying for loyalty to former ANC boss? HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 7
After a local news channel released the first tape on Tuesday night, shocking everyone about Police Sub Inspector Sunil Gudlar’s involvement in the drug trade, second and third tapes were subsequently released by two local channels. A highly placed police official said that Gudlar’s proximity to former Superintendent of Police (ANC) Veenu Bansal had not gone down well with many senior police officers, especially of Goa Police Service cadre. After Bansal’s transfer, Gudlar was almost orphaned and shifted out of the ANC. It is likely that the rivalry within the police department has resulted in Gudlar being caught on camera.
Interestingly, the channels have claimed that the tapes are dated three months back, when Gudlar was uncrowned king of ANC. The timings of the tapes are also crucial as Bansal is no more in the state and he has left enough of rivals to face for Gudlar. Over a month back, Ministry of Home Affairs had ordered Bansal’s transfer to Arunachal Pradesh. Bansal, during his tenure gave credit of almost all narcotics cases to Gudlar including the sensational arrests of Israeli drug dealers David Driham alias Dudu and Yaniv Benaim alias Atala. So does this mean that Gudlar is paying a price of being “loyal” to Bansal? Meanwhile, as the police were trying to gather their wits
Locals block mining traffic in Quepem
Mining transport blocked by villagers at Cavrem. Photo by John Fernandes HERALD CORRESPONDENT QUEPEM, JAN 7
Irked with mining transport causing traffic jam at Cavrem main road since early Friday morning, residents of Cavrem and Maina in Quepem blocked mining traffic for about two hours. According to reports, the traffic jam was caused at about 7.45 am when mining trucks plying from four mines at Cavrem and Maina were trying to enter the main road at Cavrem. Due to the traffic jam, entire transport was blocked for about two hours. Students, office going people and others were the worst hit. However, irked with the traffic
jam, villagers blocked entire mining transport for over one and half hours. Quepem Police rushed to the site and started negotiating with the agitating villagers. The villagers demanded that police constable should be deputed to regulate mining traffic and two trucks be allowed to ply in a minute. Upon the assurance given by the police, the villagers allowed the mining transport to ply. The villagers warned the police that if they do not comply with the assurance given and if any untoward incident takes place, then police will be held responsible.
34 held for blocking mining traffic inNavelim HERALD CORRESPONDENT BICHOLIM, JAN 7
Bicholim Police on Friday arrested 34 persons on charges of blocking mining traffic at Navelim-Sanquelim. According to reports, about 34 persons, including 14 women and 20 men, gathered on the road at about 8.30 am and demanded that the mining company should give the pending money to the women who are sweeping the road.
According to sources, the women were not paid since the last three months and enraged at this, they had threatened to block the traffic. After receiving the information, Bicholim PI Harish Madkaikar rushed to the site and urged the agitators to disperse from the site. However, as the agitators failed to listen, police arrested 34 persons under Sections 143, 314 of IPC. Bicholim ASI A G Gaonkar is investigating the case.
to investigate this sequel to Police Inspector Ashish Shirodkar and company and Atala nexus case, third tape came in on Thursday. This time, Gudlar is shown confessing that he threatened landlord of Dudu that he would plant drugs on him. “There are many more tapes likely to fall out. Just wait,” a source in media circle said. Gudlar has taken a defence that he has not been given a chance to clarify. “Whatever is shown on tapes is just one side. They are not showing the real version,” he told reporters outside crime branch on Thursday morning. Also, there is a huge question mark on who actually did the sting. None of the media organizations or the two foreigner
girls have credited the sting operation to them. Who is the whistleblower? Sources say that the expose through the local news channel was possible because of a concerned citizen person who decided to leak these tapes and bring to the notice of the people the misdeeds of the law enforcers. The supposed whistleblower’s identity however cannot be disclosed. Also, this is for the first time that the tapes are released in installments with channels not knowing what’s in store for them in tomorrow’s tape. Although a case is yet to be registered, Gudlar is facing an inquiry even as he appeared before the inquiry officer on the second day on Friday.
Crime Branch raids place of sting operation HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 7
Crime Branch today raided a place where police sub-inspector Sunil Gudlar was shot on spy-camera selling drugs to two foreigners. Police sources confirmed that the raid was carried out at a hotel room in the North Goa’s coastal belt. “The inquiry officers of Crime Branch raided the place where Gudlar was shot while he was negotiating with the foreigner girls over the sale of drugs. The search went on for quite a long time and the hotel staffers were also kept away,” said the source. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Shamba Sawant refused to comment. Sources also stated that police have got in touch with one of two girls shown on the TV whereas the other girl has gone underground. The raid comes after Gudlar’s statement was recorded by the Crime Branch on Thursday and Friday as a part of the inquiry against him. Sources further said that Gudlar has apparently named his senior officer to whom he (Gudlar) paid regular hafta. The officer’s name however cannot be disclosed unless police officials come on record. In the third tape released as a part of the sting, Gudlar is shown claiming that his seniors were also accepting bribes. He had not named any of his senior officers on the camera.
Activists gun for Gudlar’s head HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 7
Civil society activists have now jumped onto the disgraced police sub-inspector Sunil Gudlar’s bandwagon. In all 13 civil society activists have filed a complaint of corruption with the Crime Branch against Gudlar, who was caught on the tapes selling drugs to two foreigners on the tapes. “Such glaring and shocking contravention of law has taken place in the hands of a person who is appointed to enforce the law, and has abused his power
and position conferred upon him,” Kashinath Shetye and 12 others has said in the police complaint. The complaint which is also forwarded to Anti Narcotic Cell (ANC) and Vigilance Department has mentioned that there is no crime or First Information Report (FIR) filed in this case till now. PSI Sunil Gudlar is facing inquiry into a sting video telecast by a local channel showing him negotiating with two foreigner girls over selling packet of drugs at an undisclosed destination.
Police are yet to take action against Gudlar, who was shunted from ANC to Security branch recently. The complainants have demanded to book Gudlar under Prevention of Corruption Act, Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including theft of drugs from the police godown. In a series of three video tapes, Gudlar is seen talking to the unidentified girls about him paying bribes to his seniors. Alleging further, the com-
plainants have accused Crime Branch of turning a blind eye to the illegalities of former ANC PSI Guddler and his seniors. “The video is said to have been shot four months back when (Superintendent of Police) Veenu Bansal was heading the ANC,” the complaint letter reads. Police spokesperson SP (Special Branch) Atmaram Deshpande, when contacted said that they have not registered a case yet.
DGP told to probe officers for leaking info to third parties HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, JAN 7
Saying that the police are the protectors of the society and a shield against evil doers, the State Information Commission has asked the Director General of Police to conduct an inquiry and lodge an FIR against the delinquent officers on the question of furnishing of information applied by a resident of Utorda. The Commission has directed the DGP to fix responsibility how certain documents sought by the resident have reached the concerned police officers. The inquiry is to be completed within three months. “I am of the opinion that an inquiry should be done in order to ascertain as to who furnished the documents and how the documents reached the concerned officers. Considering the fact that these are sen-
ior officers, the inquiry should be conducted by competent officers. This Commission requests the DGP to conduct the said inquiry”, stated M S Keny, State Information Commission in an order passed on the complaint filed by Joao C Pereira, a resident of Utorda-Majorda. In his complaint, Pereira said the opponent, SP, Crime Mangaldas Dessai deliberately denied the information to him on whose behalf offence was registered against the police officers. He also expressed his shock and surprise to find that the documents which were denied to him by the opponent has already
reached the hand of third parties and the accused police officers. “I find some discrepancy in the sense some documents, which were refused to information seekers were used in the cross-examination. Even assuming they were given to the complainant, how others got the same is not known. To my mind, all this needs proper inquiry. Truth must come out. Faith in police must not be shaken. Police are the protectors of the society and a shield against evil doers. Their life like Caeser’s wife should be above suspicions”, the Commission observed.
Tivim sarpanch accused of issuing false residence certificate HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, JAN 7
Akhil Bharatiya Sena Goa Chief Madhukar Bhonsale has lodged a complaint with Mapusa Police station accusing the Tivim sarpanch of issuing false residence certificate to a villager. The complaint stated that a villager had applied for No Objection Certificate for obtaining water and electricity connection to her house situated in the plot belonging to Tivim Communidade. “However, the Tivim sarpanch issued the villager the Residence Certificate (Form IV) on September 17, 2010, stating that the villager has been residing in House No 312 situated in ward Querem-Limawado, Tivim, for the last 15 years and the certificate is being issued for obtaining water connection,” states the complaint. “Prior to issue of certificate by Tivim sarpanch, the villager on September 1, 2010, made an application to the Medical Officer of Primary Health Centre at Colvale requesting to issue NOC for obtaining water connection to her house.” However, when the Primary Health Centre enquired with the Tivim panchayat secretary as to why they did not issue NOC to the villager, the secretary in a
letter dated September 22, 2010, stated that ‘house constructed by the villager has not been recorded on the village Panchayat House tax records. Therefore, this office cannot issue NOC for water connection in respect of the said house.” After conducting the inspection, the Medical officer in a letter dated October 1, 2010, to the villager stated that ‘on inspection it has been observed that the house no 312 at Limawado-Tivim has already got water and electricity connection. So the question of issuing NOC for water and electricity connection under 94 (A) Goa Public Health Act does not arise.’ In the meantime, another Tivim resident Jude D’Lima has submitted an affidavit to the Tivim panchayat stating that house no 312 is registered in the house tax records of the Tivim panchayat in the name of his uncle, Luca D’Lima, who was residing in the said house till his death. He further stated that house no 312 was not rented or given on lease to any person at any point of time. “Therefore, the Residential Certificate issued to the villager is illegal and needs criminal investigation,” states the complaint.
Monte de Guirim Past Pupils’ Association invites all our past pupils, their families and friends for a joyous road down memory lane at the annual
DINE N DANCE
in honour of Rev. Fr. Joel Pinto O.F.M.Cap
at Mandovi Riviera, Panjim, 9 Jan., ‘11. 7 p.m. onwards Band: Cascades Dress: Smart Casuals Ticket:
400 per head
Due to his sudden ill health, Fr. Joel who was so happy and filled with joy to be with us once again, will sadly not be able to grace the occasion. Reis Magos