In a major setback and embarrassment to Senior Crime Branch Police Inspector Dattguru Sawant the Margao Judicial Magistrate First Class Vijayalaxmi Shivolkar has acquitted the two Margao Railway Station porters Mohammed Samsher Alam Sayyed and Mohammed Abass Sayyed who were in 2013 booked by him for allegedly selling substandard helmets.
Dattaguru Sawant is the Investigating Officer in the infamous Louis Berger case and was also in the forefront probing the recent rape case against Santa Cruz MLA Babush Monseratte.
In 2013 while as Police Sub-Inspector at the Konkan Railway Station in Margao Dattaguru Sawant allegedly booked the two railway porters under section 379 and 420 of Indian Penal Code after they refused to give him a free helmet that he demanded.
Acquitting the porters of all charges, Judge Shivolkar in her judgment has observed that the evidence on record against the porters was neither reliable, credible nor trustworthy. Judge Shivolkar in her order has also observed that Dattaguru Sawant despite various summons issued to him had failed to remain present in Court.
The two porters have also filed a complaint of extortion against Dattaguru Sawant before the three member State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA) headed by Retired Justice RMS Khandeparkar with the next hearing scheduled on 3rd June.
The two porters in their complaint have alleged that Dattguru Sawant on 1st September 2013 had demanded a free helmet from the goods consignment that had arrived at the Railway Station and as it was refused Dattaguru Sawant arrested and implicated them in a false and fabricated case which was not only a grave police misconduct but a severe police atrocity.
The porters in their complaint have sought directions by the SPCA to the Director General of Police to register an F.I.R besides disciplinary action against Police Inspector Dattaguru Sawant.
Dattaguru Sawant known to be linked to the RSS was inducted as a Police Sub-Inspector in 2002 during Manohar Parrikar’s first term as Chief Minister but his appointment was set aside by the High Court as illegal. The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court since 2004.
Dattaguru Sawant was later dismissed from service in 2004 for allegedly extorting money at Mapusa but managed to get reinstated in 2006.
Dattaguru Sawant reportedly had a criminal record even before joining the Goa Police with an F.I.R registered against him in 1999 at the Panaji Police Station for having along with some BJP activists sprayed black ink on the then Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Shantaram Naik at the entrance of Cafe Bhonsle in Panaji.
