HC stays lower court order framing charges against former Goa FM

Panaji, Aug 14 (UNI) Bombay High Court in Goa today granted stay on the Margao's lower court order framing criminal charges against former minister Dayanand Narvekar that costed him the finance portfolio recently.

Mr Narvekar was forced to resign from the Digambar Kamat government as finance minister at the insistence of the Congress high command due to his alleged involvement in the infamous Indo-Australia ODI cricket ticket scam case of April 2001 in last June.

He appealed in the High Court against the lower court's order framing charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery against him along with eight others. He was the president of the Goa Cricket Association in 2001 when the incident occurred.

Mr Narvekar said the chargesheet was filed against him in July 2001 itself, but the court could not hear the case all these years following transfer of judges.

It was surprising that the lower court had framed charges again in June this year and posted the case for hearing along with other accused.

Talking to UNI following the high court's stay, Mr Narvekar said the lower court's framing charges was used as ''a political weapon against me'' recently to induct Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate into the cabinet early this month.

Asked what will be his future course of action ahead of the monsoon session of the state legislative assembly beginning on August 18 till month end, he quipped saying, ''Please wait and see.'' UNI BM SR NY DS1506