PANAJI
The Assagao house demolition has escalated into a full-blown controversy with Goa’s highest-ranking police officer DGP Jaspal Singh now being accused by his own officer of conspiracy to bulldoze the house.
Suspended Anjuna PI Prashal Desai's statement to Chief Secretary Puneet Goel reveals how DGP Singh exerted pressure and threatened him to alter the case in favour of accused Pooja Sharma.
“On June 22, I received a phone call from DGP Goa informing that the party of Pooja Sharma will come to Assagao and told (the Anjuna police) to help them,” the PI testified during the inquiry.
He further recalled the house occupants Pradeep Agarwadekar and his family had informed the police they were inside the house with their belongings during the demolition. Police Sub-Inspector Sanket Pokhare -- also suspended along with PSI Nitin Naik -- ordered to stop the demolition, sought property documents and directed the excavator operator to bring the equipment to the police station.
Amid all this, PI Desai received a call from Singh questioning why the demolition had halted. The report, a copy of which is submitted to the government and now in circulation, alleges that upon explaining the situation, DGP shouted at the PI insisting that demolition resume immediately.
“DGP directed that anyone obstructing the process be removed and taken to the police station. DGP started shouting at me and told me that anyhow the work of the demolition of the house should be started. He also informed nobody was inside the house when the demolition work was going as he has personally verified the same,” quotes the report.
Despite the pressure, Desai stated that Anjuna police did not forcibly remove the occupants and instead asked them to file a formal complaint. Two of the family members thereafter reached the police station to complete the formalities.
Explaining the sequence of events, the PI claimed that a person identifying himself as Arshad Khawaja informed him that he was proceeding with the demolition ‘as per the inspection from the top office.’
Khawaja mentioned that the PI might have received a phone call from a top officer and that he had received instructions to resume the work.
Ashley Rodrigues, the owner of the excavator machine, who had earlier instructed operator Pradeep Rana to stop the work, also told the police that Khawaja boasted of his contacts with top officials and assured him (Rodrigues) that he would manage everything on-site.
In the meantime, the PI claimed he received another phone call from the DGP, directing that no one should stop the demolition.
“The DGP was continuously pressuring me to allow Khawaja to continue the demolition work on the house,” the PI said. Khawaja, along with his son and some bouncers, stopped the trailer vehicle which had left the site and forced the operator to take the vehicle to the demolition site. Khawaja claimed local police could not stop the work as he had permission from top officials.
The PI further indicated the DGP’s biased attitude towards the accused party stating, "The DGP said Pooja Sharma is the owner of the property and that no cognizable offense is made out in the complaint by Prinsha Agarwadekar. No action is needed on the complaint."
“He also threatened me saying that the work must start within 10 minutes, or I should be prepared to face the consequences if it is not completed. He also threatened to frame me in a fake NDPS case saying that, if he is transferred from Goa he will book an NDPS case and falsely record the statement of the accused that the activity was in connivance with Pl Anjuna Police Station.”
