Deepraj Pandurang Zantye R/o Bastora, Bardez, who was detained by Anjuna police on June 23, 2010, during a search at Assagao for allegedly possessing Charas illegally, has been cleared by the Panaji Sessions Court.
In its ruling, the Court noted that PSI Anant Gaonkar had previously detained the suspect after developing a suspicion about him. During the suspect’s personal search, one polythene bag was discovered in the suspect’s front right side pant pocket, and upon opening the polythene bag, pieces of charas were discovered. They were then placed into a greenish-colored envelope and sealed. The seal was identified as being the Anjuna police station’s seal bearing No. 1.
Pancha witnesses testified that Anant Gaonkar, the PSI at the time, produced a seizure report also wrote a letter to the SDPO Mapusa, and PC Milind Mahale sent the letter and seal used in the raid to Sammy Tavares, the SDPO Mapusa at the time.
According to Milind Mahale, he was the one who brought the seal to the SDPO.
Sammy Tavares, however, testified that PC Sushant Mahale, not PC Milind Mahale, had delivered the letter and seal to him.
The seal bearer was PC Sushant Mahale, according to the seal movement registry.
This raises questions about whether the raid was carried out as Anant Gaokar stated and about whether Sammy Tavares truly received the seal.
It is important to remember that Milind Mahale both Milind Mahale and Anant Gaokar acknowledged that there is no mention in the station journal regarding Milind Mahale rejoining the police.
Despite being well aware that it is required for all police officers to write a station diary entry whenever they leave or return to the police station, these officers reportedly left the station after allegedly giving the seal to Sammy Tavares.
The drug sample provided by the police, according to a CFSL investigation, was Charas. Although the prosecution’s case becomes suspect if the movement of the seal is in question, the court decided to clear Deepraj of all charges. It was noted that it was impossible to prove that any material found with the accused was the same one that had been sent for testing.
