Aleixo da Costa says his complaint alleging criminal intimidation against Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit P. Rane has been forwarded by Verna Police to the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Mormugao, for permission to conduct a preliminary inquiry.
Da Costa, a senior citizen from Nagoa, Salcete, visited Verna Police Station on Saturday to inquire about the status of the complaint he lodged on July 15.
According to Da Costa, police personnel informed him that the complaint had been sent to the SDPO seeking approval before a preliminary inquiry could begin.
Addressing the media outside the police station, Da Costa questioned why permission was required before an inquiry could be initiated.
“I do not know what kind of standard operating procedure this is,” he said, adding that he believed the police inspector could have first carried out a discreet inquiry to determine whether there was a prima facie case.
Da Costa said he was informed that the Police Inspector was away attending court proceedings related to narcotics cases when he visited the station. He said a Police Sub-Inspector later told him the complaint had already been forwarded to the SDPO.
Referring to provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Da Costa claimed a preliminary inquiry should ordinarily be completed within the prescribed time limit and said three days had already elapsed since the complaint was forwarded.
“If it was a common man, they would have picked him up and locked him in a cell and then later followed the procedures,” he alleged while questioning whether the same process was being applied in his case.
Da Costa appealed to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to examine the handling of the complaint, describing it as a serious matter involving allegations against a member of the state Cabinet.
He also reiterated his opposition to Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning framework, calling on the Chief Minister to remove the minister from the Council of Ministers over what he described as governance concerns.
The complaint, submitted on July 15, alleges that Da Costa received threatening WhatsApp messages from the minister after making public statements during a protest against the proposed Lodha project at Karapur, Sarvan. In the complaint, he requested that police register an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provide security to him and his family.
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