The suspension of Additional Sessions judge Desmond D’Costa for acting hastily in the case of serial killer Mahanand Naik has sparked protests here with lawyers and social activists seeking “justice” and demanding his re-instatement.
While lawyers have boycotted majority of the lower courts for three days, social activists have rallied behind Justice D’Costa, resolving to fight against the ‘injustice’ meted out to him.
South Goa Bar Association’s President Anacleto Viegas claimed Mr. D’Costa’s suspension came after senior Principal and Sessions Judge, U V Bakre, gave a report complaining against him to the High Court.
Following this, lawyers from South Goa decided to boycott court of Justice Bakre to express solidarity with Justice D’Costa, an erstwhile students’ leader and a judge with 20 years of experience.
“We will continue boycotting his courts till Justice D’Costa is re-instated,” Mr. Viegas said.
Social activists joined hands with lawyers on Monday to protest the suspension of Justice D’Costa and a rally was held here for seeking ‘justice to a Justice’.
The public movement has also rendered its support to Industrial Tribunal Judge Anuja Prabhudesai, who was also suspended.
“This battle is not about judges, it’s about us because for us these are our icons for truthful judiciary. If they fall, we fall,” Mr. Rebello said.
Justice D’Costa’s suspension came after he disposed off one among the 16 murder cases against serial killer Mahanand Naik.
As per the report by Justice Bakre, Justice D’Costa was instructed not to hurriedly dispose off any matters.
Justice Bakre had proceeded on 15 days leave last year when Justice D’Costa was handling his cases including that of Naik.
“Though the case was a custody matter, however, it could not be said to be such an urgent matter to be disposed off in the manner, as is done by Justice D’Costa,” Justice Bakre in his report dated April 12, 2010, to the Registrar General of Bombay High Court, has said.
Justice Bakre says that accused Mahanand Naik was in judicial custody in many murder cases and hence disposal of sessions case would not have resulted into his liberty from custody.
Judge D’Costa in his reply to the court said that his anxiety was to do justice. “As I found no material in the evidence on record, I pronounced the judgement on the same day,” he added.
