A day after the Goa Director General of Police, Mukesh Kumar Meena ruled out on all other possibilities narrowing down to the robbery as the motive behind the Swapnil Walke Murder. The DGP also rubbished other claims of a planned murder in the case.
“The motive is clear that this was an attempted robbery in a jewellery shop. However, as they got into a scuffle, they were unsuccessful,” he said.
However, a noted criminal lawyer, Amit Palyekar, made startling claims, saying that the accused in this case might walk out scot-free if the police proceed with the charges of the only robbery against them.
“It’s not the right direction that is being followed (by the investigating police) and any smart defence lawyer will find loopholes into this investigation, which may lead to the acquittal of the accused,” the criminal lawyer said.
He added strongly that the investigating agencies should not come to a conclusion and close doors to all theories, adding that if that is done, it is bound to create a fixated theory.
Palyekar, who has over two decades of practice as a criminal lawyer said, “This theory doesn’t sound to be very conclusive to me,” strongly remarking that, “if this line of action is being followed, I don’t think he (deceased Swapnil Walke) will ever get justice.”
He pointed out that the other accused is not noticed in the CCTV camera, and if the robbery motive is being probed, then at least two people will enter, which hasn’t happened in this case at Margao.
He added that murder appears to be the only motive in this case.
The DGP had claimed that the accused chose the shop Krishni Jewellers because it is at an aloof location. The lawyer pointed out that the location actually is in the heart of the city, which has immense traffic congestions.
“The motive appears to be to teach some lesson, or else why would he choose such a location,” the lawyer said.
He said that the DGP has made contrasting claims about the progress of the investigations, claiming that the DGP wasn’t aware of certain vital information about the progress of the case, and hence the investigating officer CL Patil should have addressed the media.
The links of Anjuna robbery have to be also considered in this case, the lawyer said, as one cannot dispose of robbed gold to any layperson, but to only a jeweller.
“This is a very sad situation, and something is wrong,” the lawyer said on the fact that the accused managed to escape all the way to Panjim, and Mustafa managing to travel back from Panjim to Margao by a local bus the next day.
Landing strong support to IO CL Patil, lawyer Amit Palyekar said that a strong charge sheet can be presented by the police, only if they are given a free hand in the case and if theories are not closed upon, but thoroughly looked into. If not, the case will be very weak in court and the accused may get a free hand, he said.
