Court acquits two personsin casteist remarks cases

Colva: The South Goa principal district and sessions court has acquitted two persons who were charged under the Schedule

Caste

and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in two different cases. The complainant in both was the same person.

In November 2015, the complainant accused Colva panch member Calvert Gonsalves of insulting him over his caste and threatening him during a meeting in August. He lodged a second complaint against Menino Fernandes, another member of the Colva panchayat, in August 2016, for allegedly pushing him and abusing him due to his caste, thereby intentionally insulting and humiliating him in public at the Colva panchayat.

Judge B P Deshpande in his judgment of both cases, gave the two accused the benefit of doubt and acquitted them.

Fernandes is a sitting panch member, while Gonsalves did not contest the last panchayat polls. Both cases were investigated by then Salcete deputy superintendent of police, Dinraj Govekar.