Court hears arguments in cheating case against former Goa DGP

The Judicial Magistrate First Class in Panaji has reserved his order till November 19.

Adv Aires Rodrigues has sought court's directions to Panaji police to register and investigate the cheating case against the former DGP.

Rodrigues submitted before the Judge today that the then DGP had caused a loss to the state exchequer on October 16 last year by taking his official vehicle without permission to Gokarna in Karnataka on a picnic and travelled 393 kms.

Stating that as per the government directives, no official vehicle can be used for travel outside the state without the written permission of the Chief Secretary, Adv Rodrigues further argued that the act of the former DGP of travelling illegally to Gokarna amounted to a clear act of cheating the state exchequer and was punishable under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code.

Rodrigues further submitted that probity in public life should flow from senior officers and that the police were bound to enforce the law when any malafide loss was caused to the state exchequer.

Advocate Ashwin Bhobe, appearing on behalf of the police, submitted to the court that post-facto approval had been sought for the Gokarna trip.

Arya was transferred out of Goa last Christmas after a brief eight month stint as state DGP.