S Goa advocate held again for misconduct in court

Colva: Advocate Pritesh Prabhu, 34, has once again found himself in hot water with fresh allegations of misconduct being reported against him in separate incidents on Monday.

Prabhu reportedly outraged the modesty of two women—one in the corridor of the court of the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) in Margao, and the other inside the same courtroom. The two incidents occurred within 20 minutes of the court session commencing.

Following separate complaints registered by the two women, Fatorda police arrested Prabhu under Sections 75(1)(ii) and 79 of the BNS Act. The complainants stated that the accused touched them inappropriately, first in the court corridor in one incident and in the second instance while the second complainant was seated on a bench in court.

This is the second time in a little over a month that Prabhu has faced similar accusations. On Aug 29, a female colleague filed a complaint accusing him of molestation and stalking. That incident led to his admission to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB) in Bambolim. During the incident, his father Jayant Prabhu, a 70-year-old lawyer, died by suicide at his house in Davorlim, reportedly citing harassment by the police as a result of the allegations against his son.

Several advocates who witnessed the latest incident on Monday expressed concerns about Prabhu’s behaviour. They said that he had been seen walking in the corridor of the court shortly before the incident, displaying what they said was “erratic and abnormal behaviour”.


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