U.G.C. 36th Annual Draw.
U.G.C is pleased to welcome all teams for our 36th annual draw which will be held on 23rd September 2011 at 9:30am on Al-Nassr Stadium, Abbasiya during the C.R.C tournament.
All K.I.F.F affiliated clubs are kindly requested to send their representatives to witness the draw.
Thanking you in advance for your usual co-operation.
UNITED GOANS CENTER,
KUWAIT.
September 18, 2011
ADV. AMIT DESAI CHEATS GOA GOVERNMENT.
MUMBAI SENIOR ADVOCATE AMIT DESAI ACCUSED OF CHEATING GOA GOVT BY FIVE LAKHS.
The Goa Government was billed Rupees five lakhs by a Senior Advocatefrom Mumbai Mr. Amit Desai for four hearings in the High Court henever attended. This has been revealed in the information furnished bythe Goa Police to Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the Right to InformationAct.
Senior Advocate Amit Desai billed the Goa Government Rs 3, 75,000 forappearing before the Bombay High Court at Goa on 26th, 27th and 28thNovember 2008 but the Court records do not show his appearance. Healso billed the Government for another Rs 1, 25,000 for an appearanceon 13th Jan 2009 while the records show that there was no hearing ofthe case on that day. Interestingly the Goa Government paid Adv. AmitDesai the amount without requiring him to produce an appearancecertificate issued by the High Court as is mandatory before anygovernment advocate is paid.
Documents also obtained by Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the RTI Act fromthe Home Department reveals that Advocate General of Goa Subodh Kantakhad by a note on 7th October 2008 proposed that Adv. Amit Desai beengaged at a fee of Rs 1, 25, 000 per hearing to appear for the Statebefore the High Court in the confirmation of death sentence case ofMr. Ryan Fernandes the main accused in the 2005 Vasco based Dr.Shrikant Verenkar murder case.
Adv. Amit Desai was also allowed executive class airfare from Mumbaiand stay at a five star hotel in Panaji. The Goa government alsoappointed a Panaji lawyer Mr. Ashwin Bhobe to assist Adv. Amit Desaiwith an appearance charge of Rs 5000 per hearing. Interestingly thefile notings show that on 11th July 2007 Advocate General SubodhKantak himself had agreed that Public Prosecutor Mrs. T. S. Sardinhashould represent the State in the case. The file notings also showthat then High Court Public Prosecutor Mrs. Winnie Coutinho had alsodeclined to appear in the matter as the accused Mr. Ryan Fernandes wasknown to her.
The information furnished to Adv. Aires Rodrigues further reveals thatthe Goa Government has spent a whopping Rs 11, 29, 266 on Adv. AmitDesai. Of the total expenditure incurred Rs 10 lakhs was towards Adv.Amit Desai’s court appearance charges while Rs 74,636 towards hishotel accommodation and Rs 54, 630 towards airfare expenses. Theexpenditure of Rs 11, 29, 266 incurred is from October 2008 toFebruary 2009 as the subsequent bills to date from Adv. Amit Desai arestill being processed.
The documents furnished by the Goa Police also show that Adv. AmitDesai held a two and half hour conference at Mumbai on 22nd November2008 which was attended by Public Prosecutor Mrs. T.S. Sardinha, Adv.Ashwin Bhobe and Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr. Mahesh Gaonkarwho was the Investigating Officer of the case. Adv. Amit Desai thensent the Goa Government a bill of Rs 62,500 for that Mumbai Conferenceat the rate of Rs 25,000 per hour. The government however declined topay that bill stating that he was not entitled to bill for theconference held.
It is however not known as to why Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantakhad not himself appeared for the State in the confirmation case. It isalso not known as to why the State Government agreed to engage alawyer from Mumbai incurring such heavy expenditure though there areso many lawyers practicing criminal law in Goa. The records also donot show that the Government had made any efforts to engage theservices of any lawyer locally. A perusal of the orders recording theproceedings of the case show that Adv. Amit Desai had on least threeoccasions traveled all the way from Mumbai only to seek an adjournmentof the case while burdening the State exchequer by another Rs 1,25,000plus travel and accommodation for each of his trips.
Records of the case also reveal that since the confirmation case wasfiled in 2007 there have been already 28 hearings with the 29th onescheduled on 10th October 2011. Ironically the records reveal thatAdv. Amit Desai on 25th July this year submitted before the High Courtthat the Government was not pressing for the confirmation of the deathsentence. It is wondered as to why Adv. Ashwin Bhobe the localadvocate could not have informed this to the court instead of havingAdv. Amit Desai to come from Mumbai only to make this submission.Interestingly the Law department and the Home department have nowhowever informed Adv. Aires Rodrigues that the Goa Government has nottaken a decision not to press for the death sentence.
It may be recalled that South Goa Sessions Judge on June 15, 2007 hadawarded the death penalty to Ryan Fernandes, the main accused, andsentenced three other co-accused Mr. Francis D'Sa, Mr. Rajendra Singhand Mr. Sachin Parab to life imprisonment in the sensational murdercase of Dr Shrikant Verekar. The 55-year-old doctor from Vasco wasmurdered on Monday 17th Jan 2005 after being abducted. The body of theslain doctor was found seven hours later at Cansaulim.
A death penalty awarded cannot be executed unless it is confirmed bythe High Court. The confirmation of the death sentence seems to betaking longer than the investigation and trial of the case itself. Theconfirmation case from 2007 has been adjourned time and again inspiteof the court repeatedly making it very clear that no furtheradjournments would be granted.
Interestingly the confirmation case is pending since 2007 despite theSupreme Court ruling that the confirmation cases have to be heard anddisposed very expeditiously. This is the only confirmation casepending before the Bombay High Court at Goa. The last time aconfirmation case was filed before the Bombay High Court at Goa was in2005 against Soiru Gaonkar of Cuncolim which was disposed within ayear in 2006.
Meanwhile, Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today demanded a Vigilance probeinto all the bills submitted by Adv. Amit Desai and Advocate GeneralSubodh Kantak’s questionable role in the whole case.
Aires Rodrigues,
Ribandar, Goa.
The Goa Government was billed Rupees five lakhs by a Senior Advocatefrom Mumbai Mr. Amit Desai for four hearings in the High Court henever attended. This has been revealed in the information furnished bythe Goa Police to Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the Right to InformationAct.
Senior Advocate Amit Desai billed the Goa Government Rs 3, 75,000 forappearing before the Bombay High Court at Goa on 26th, 27th and 28thNovember 2008 but the Court records do not show his appearance. Healso billed the Government for another Rs 1, 25,000 for an appearanceon 13th Jan 2009 while the records show that there was no hearing ofthe case on that day. Interestingly the Goa Government paid Adv. AmitDesai the amount without requiring him to produce an appearancecertificate issued by the High Court as is mandatory before anygovernment advocate is paid.
Documents also obtained by Adv. Aires Rodrigues under the RTI Act fromthe Home Department reveals that Advocate General of Goa Subodh Kantakhad by a note on 7th October 2008 proposed that Adv. Amit Desai beengaged at a fee of Rs 1, 25, 000 per hearing to appear for the Statebefore the High Court in the confirmation of death sentence case ofMr. Ryan Fernandes the main accused in the 2005 Vasco based Dr.Shrikant Verenkar murder case.
Adv. Amit Desai was also allowed executive class airfare from Mumbaiand stay at a five star hotel in Panaji. The Goa government alsoappointed a Panaji lawyer Mr. Ashwin Bhobe to assist Adv. Amit Desaiwith an appearance charge of Rs 5000 per hearing. Interestingly thefile notings show that on 11th July 2007 Advocate General SubodhKantak himself had agreed that Public Prosecutor Mrs. T. S. Sardinhashould represent the State in the case. The file notings also showthat then High Court Public Prosecutor Mrs. Winnie Coutinho had alsodeclined to appear in the matter as the accused Mr. Ryan Fernandes wasknown to her.
The information furnished to Adv. Aires Rodrigues further reveals thatthe Goa Government has spent a whopping Rs 11, 29, 266 on Adv. AmitDesai. Of the total expenditure incurred Rs 10 lakhs was towards Adv.Amit Desai’s court appearance charges while Rs 74,636 towards hishotel accommodation and Rs 54, 630 towards airfare expenses. Theexpenditure of Rs 11, 29, 266 incurred is from October 2008 toFebruary 2009 as the subsequent bills to date from Adv. Amit Desai arestill being processed.
The documents furnished by the Goa Police also show that Adv. AmitDesai held a two and half hour conference at Mumbai on 22nd November2008 which was attended by Public Prosecutor Mrs. T.S. Sardinha, Adv.Ashwin Bhobe and Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr. Mahesh Gaonkarwho was the Investigating Officer of the case. Adv. Amit Desai thensent the Goa Government a bill of Rs 62,500 for that Mumbai Conferenceat the rate of Rs 25,000 per hour. The government however declined topay that bill stating that he was not entitled to bill for theconference held.
It is however not known as to why Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantakhad not himself appeared for the State in the confirmation case. It isalso not known as to why the State Government agreed to engage alawyer from Mumbai incurring such heavy expenditure though there areso many lawyers practicing criminal law in Goa. The records also donot show that the Government had made any efforts to engage theservices of any lawyer locally. A perusal of the orders recording theproceedings of the case show that Adv. Amit Desai had on least threeoccasions traveled all the way from Mumbai only to seek an adjournmentof the case while burdening the State exchequer by another Rs 1,25,000plus travel and accommodation for each of his trips.
Records of the case also reveal that since the confirmation case wasfiled in 2007 there have been already 28 hearings with the 29th onescheduled on 10th October 2011. Ironically the records reveal thatAdv. Amit Desai on 25th July this year submitted before the High Courtthat the Government was not pressing for the confirmation of the deathsentence. It is wondered as to why Adv. Ashwin Bhobe the localadvocate could not have informed this to the court instead of havingAdv. Amit Desai to come from Mumbai only to make this submission.Interestingly the Law department and the Home department have nowhowever informed Adv. Aires Rodrigues that the Goa Government has nottaken a decision not to press for the death sentence.
It may be recalled that South Goa Sessions Judge on June 15, 2007 hadawarded the death penalty to Ryan Fernandes, the main accused, andsentenced three other co-accused Mr. Francis D'Sa, Mr. Rajendra Singhand Mr. Sachin Parab to life imprisonment in the sensational murdercase of Dr Shrikant Verekar. The 55-year-old doctor from Vasco wasmurdered on Monday 17th Jan 2005 after being abducted. The body of theslain doctor was found seven hours later at Cansaulim.
A death penalty awarded cannot be executed unless it is confirmed bythe High Court. The confirmation of the death sentence seems to betaking longer than the investigation and trial of the case itself. Theconfirmation case from 2007 has been adjourned time and again inspiteof the court repeatedly making it very clear that no furtheradjournments would be granted.
Interestingly the confirmation case is pending since 2007 despite theSupreme Court ruling that the confirmation cases have to be heard anddisposed very expeditiously. This is the only confirmation casepending before the Bombay High Court at Goa. The last time aconfirmation case was filed before the Bombay High Court at Goa was in2005 against Soiru Gaonkar of Cuncolim which was disposed within ayear in 2006.
Meanwhile, Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today demanded a Vigilance probeinto all the bills submitted by Adv. Amit Desai and Advocate GeneralSubodh Kantak’s questionable role in the whole case.
Aires Rodrigues,
Ribandar, Goa.
September 16, 2011
DOES GANDHIGIRI, ANNAGIRI INSPIRE DADAGIRI AND GOONDAGIRI?
By Nisser Dias.
15th Sept 2011
In recent times or to be more specific since April Indians (minus politicians) of all hues came together as one to support 74 year old Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption or rather to make elected representatives accountable for their actions. We have observed in recent times that Union cabinet minister have caused losses to the country to tune of lakhs of crores of rupees. While some are cooling their heels in the Tihar jail as criminals, there are many who have got away scot free. There are as many in our state too.
Be that as it may our countrymen tend to follow prevalent trends. During the end of 2003, polity of this country were hugely inspired by Bollywood movie Munnabhai MBBS starring droopy eyed Sanjay Dutt. The movie was a runaway success and since Dutt professes “jaddo ke chappee” non-violence method of bridging gaps in relationships the term Gandhigiri came to be coined. That Sanjay Dutt was an accused in the Mumbai blast in and was convicted under Arms Act is a different matter.
But the fact of the matter is Mahatma Gandhi did resort to fast unto death to protest injustice, violence and even untruth by his companions, comrades, followers and the Indians at large, but the difference was the ‘Father of the Nation’ undertook this fasts either in his abode or Sabarmati Ashram where not a single individual was inconvenienced but made everybody including the governors of British empire to sit up and take notice. There was not a single individual including his wife to keep accompany him in the fast, though she would worry and urge him to end his fast.
It was not at all a grand display or posturing. It was neither a show of strength or an exhibit of oratory skills, but was simply a protest to right a wrong and as Gandhiji himself would meekly put it as self purification. Nonetheless Mohandas K Gandhi – a barrister at law in South Africa return to his country and brought the might British Empire to its knees and forced them to handover reins of administration to the country men and leave India. This is example of true grit and determination.
But gone are the days when true statesman, patriots used to resort to penance to force others to introspect and realize that they were wrong. When nobody even the government refused to take cognizance of such protests came in what is now known as Annagiri. To resort to Annagiri you have seek permission from various authorities like the district administration, police, traffic cell and lots others. The permissions or NOCs are required so that the routine life is not paralyzed or common man is inconvenienced or that there is no law and order situation arising from the protests.
Though these type are well publicized and stage is erected with huge shamianas provided with chairs and even fans for thousands of supporters and in some cases air conditioners for the main activists with doctors attending them round the clock, ambulances stationed and equipped with the latest gadgets and life saving drugs and the works, police protection 24 hours a day. Providing foods for tens of thousands of supporters. Collection and accepting donations to the tune of crores of rupees or lacks of dollars. Mahatma Gandhi would have not only rebuked such practice but would have undertaken another fast to put an end to such practice
There are backroom talks to resolve the matter and backroom channels working to convince the protestors to call of the hunger strike. Functioning of the Parliament is derailed with either the Opposition or political party having political interest disrupting the working of the parliament or legislative assembly.
Take the example of Anna Hazare protest. Wide publicity by the minute, national news channels competing with each other to increase its ratings forcing the government to faulter, comprise and finally give in to the demands. There was no such a hype when Mahatma Gandhi resorted to hunger strikes. Basically the common man was not put to hardships because of the protest.
Some in the year 2006 BJP in Goa tried to gain some cheap publicity. Zuari bridge continued to remain closed for heavy vehicles even after repairs were done because the concerned minister could not schedule time to officially declare it open. So the BJP workers swooped on the Agassaim side of the bridge and blocked the bridge paralyzing even light vehicles from using the bridge thereby causing hardships to the thousands of commuters. Manohar Parrikar addressing the media said that his partymen had resorted to Gandhigiri to protest, however for commuters who were inconvenienced called it dadagiri.
Last year BJP paralyzed the entire state to protest against price rise. They saw to it bandh was total with all the markets and shops downing their shutters. More recently BBSM called for a bandh and its supporters were literally threatening shopkeepers, businessmen to close their establishment to protests against the grant-in-aid being extended to schools that use English as medium of instruction. This was not Gandhigiri or Annagiri but goondagiri.
Let us take the example of Balli carnage. Schedule Tribe came to Balli to my their protest against the government for not fulfilling their demands. They not only inconvenienced the general public at large but went on to indulge in arson and rioting. They did not even spare the Collector and top police officials. ST community members torched government vehicles causing loss to exchequer and after causing a loss of lakhs of rupees they are demanding twelve percentage reservations for legislative assembly elections. These are not peaceful protests or Gandhigiri or Annagiri but dadagiri and goondagiri.
Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com Or SMS 9422437029)
(Nisser Dias writes a regular column in GT every Thursday).
15th Sept 2011
In recent times or to be more specific since April Indians (minus politicians) of all hues came together as one to support 74 year old Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption or rather to make elected representatives accountable for their actions. We have observed in recent times that Union cabinet minister have caused losses to the country to tune of lakhs of crores of rupees. While some are cooling their heels in the Tihar jail as criminals, there are many who have got away scot free. There are as many in our state too.
Be that as it may our countrymen tend to follow prevalent trends. During the end of 2003, polity of this country were hugely inspired by Bollywood movie Munnabhai MBBS starring droopy eyed Sanjay Dutt. The movie was a runaway success and since Dutt professes “jaddo ke chappee” non-violence method of bridging gaps in relationships the term Gandhigiri came to be coined. That Sanjay Dutt was an accused in the Mumbai blast in and was convicted under Arms Act is a different matter.
But the fact of the matter is Mahatma Gandhi did resort to fast unto death to protest injustice, violence and even untruth by his companions, comrades, followers and the Indians at large, but the difference was the ‘Father of the Nation’ undertook this fasts either in his abode or Sabarmati Ashram where not a single individual was inconvenienced but made everybody including the governors of British empire to sit up and take notice. There was not a single individual including his wife to keep accompany him in the fast, though she would worry and urge him to end his fast.
It was not at all a grand display or posturing. It was neither a show of strength or an exhibit of oratory skills, but was simply a protest to right a wrong and as Gandhiji himself would meekly put it as self purification. Nonetheless Mohandas K Gandhi – a barrister at law in South Africa return to his country and brought the might British Empire to its knees and forced them to handover reins of administration to the country men and leave India. This is example of true grit and determination.
But gone are the days when true statesman, patriots used to resort to penance to force others to introspect and realize that they were wrong. When nobody even the government refused to take cognizance of such protests came in what is now known as Annagiri. To resort to Annagiri you have seek permission from various authorities like the district administration, police, traffic cell and lots others. The permissions or NOCs are required so that the routine life is not paralyzed or common man is inconvenienced or that there is no law and order situation arising from the protests.
Though these type are well publicized and stage is erected with huge shamianas provided with chairs and even fans for thousands of supporters and in some cases air conditioners for the main activists with doctors attending them round the clock, ambulances stationed and equipped with the latest gadgets and life saving drugs and the works, police protection 24 hours a day. Providing foods for tens of thousands of supporters. Collection and accepting donations to the tune of crores of rupees or lacks of dollars. Mahatma Gandhi would have not only rebuked such practice but would have undertaken another fast to put an end to such practice
There are backroom talks to resolve the matter and backroom channels working to convince the protestors to call of the hunger strike. Functioning of the Parliament is derailed with either the Opposition or political party having political interest disrupting the working of the parliament or legislative assembly.
Take the example of Anna Hazare protest. Wide publicity by the minute, national news channels competing with each other to increase its ratings forcing the government to faulter, comprise and finally give in to the demands. There was no such a hype when Mahatma Gandhi resorted to hunger strikes. Basically the common man was not put to hardships because of the protest.
Some in the year 2006 BJP in Goa tried to gain some cheap publicity. Zuari bridge continued to remain closed for heavy vehicles even after repairs were done because the concerned minister could not schedule time to officially declare it open. So the BJP workers swooped on the Agassaim side of the bridge and blocked the bridge paralyzing even light vehicles from using the bridge thereby causing hardships to the thousands of commuters. Manohar Parrikar addressing the media said that his partymen had resorted to Gandhigiri to protest, however for commuters who were inconvenienced called it dadagiri.
Last year BJP paralyzed the entire state to protest against price rise. They saw to it bandh was total with all the markets and shops downing their shutters. More recently BBSM called for a bandh and its supporters were literally threatening shopkeepers, businessmen to close their establishment to protests against the grant-in-aid being extended to schools that use English as medium of instruction. This was not Gandhigiri or Annagiri but goondagiri.
Let us take the example of Balli carnage. Schedule Tribe came to Balli to my their protest against the government for not fulfilling their demands. They not only inconvenienced the general public at large but went on to indulge in arson and rioting. They did not even spare the Collector and top police officials. ST community members torched government vehicles causing loss to exchequer and after causing a loss of lakhs of rupees they are demanding twelve percentage reservations for legislative assembly elections. These are not peaceful protests or Gandhigiri or Annagiri but dadagiri and goondagiri.
Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com Or SMS 9422437029)
(Nisser Dias writes a regular column in GT every Thursday).
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