Mapusa: Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today stated that he would challenge next week the grossly erroneous and absolutely bad in law order passed by Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Pooja Desai today in the criminal case filed against him in connection with his alleged social media posts on that alleged sex scandal involving the then Water Resources Minister Vinod Paliencar.

 

On a complaint filed by Siolim based Shreha Dhargalkar that she had been linked to the sex scandal, an F.I.R was registered against Adv. Aires Rodrigues on 27th November 2017 at the Anjuna Police Station. The F.I.R within a week was transferred to the Crime Branch by the IGP citing the gravity of the offence and to ensure a professional investigation with directions to the SP Crime that the case be assigned to a competent Inspector.

 

After investigating the case for three years the Crime Branch Inspector Dattaguru Sawant on 27th November 2020 filed a 210-page charge sheet against Adv. Aires Rodrigues under Sections 354 (A) (IV), 509, 201 & 203 of IPC. Interestingly the statement of Vinod Paliencar was not recorded nor was he cited as a witness in the case.

 

The trial commenced on 5th January 2021 and over the two years with 40 hearings the Prosecution examined 14 of the 19 witnesses mentioned in the charge sheet. The State of Goa was represented by APP Ms. T.Kolamkar while Adv. Aires Rodrigues appeared in person.

 

Meanwhile, the trial of Shreha Dhargalkar and three others charge-sheeted for having on 27th November 2017 trespassed into the Ribandar office of Adv. Aires Rodrigues is scheduled to start on 7th January before Panjim Chief Judicial Magistrate Ram Prabhudesaai. This case was also investigated by then Crime Branch Inspector Dattaguru Sawant.