General
Panaji: A Mapusa court has directed that charges be framed against Nigel Fonseca, one of the three accused of damaging the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and hurting public sentiments near IDC Karaswada in 2023.The court observed that there was sufficient material to prima facie indicate that Fonseca committed the offence, while discharging the two other accused, Alex Fernandes and Lawrence Mendes, for lack of evidence. The court noted that there was no material to suggest the two had any role in the crime.
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The trio had been accused of causing damage and disturbing peace and harmony in the area. The court referred to the statement of eyewitness Chandan Kumar, who said that all the accused, known to him, were sitting under a banyan tree consuming liquor when they abused him and pelted a stone at the statue as he prayed before it. Kumar stated that it was the first accused who threw the stone at the statue, causing it to break.He added that although all three were drinking alcohol, the act was committed by the first accused.