Mapusa Court Clears Former Goa Deputy CM and Wife in Long-Running Forgery Case
A judicial magistrate first class court in Mapusa, Goa, has delivered a significant verdict, acquitting former deputy chief minister Dayanand Narvekar and his wife Sushma Narvekar of all charges in a 16-year-old forgery and cheating case. The case centered on allegations that the couple manipulated their son's birth certificate to gain unfair advantages in cricket tournaments.
Court Cites Complete Lack of Evidence in Acquittal Decision
In her detailed ruling, Judicial Magistrate First Class Puja Sardessai emphasized that the prosecution failed to present any substantial evidence to support their allegations. The court noted that no proof was provided to demonstrate that the Narvekars actually used any forged document, nor was there evidence of any monetary gain or property transfer resulting from the alleged forgery.
The magistrate stated clearly: "There is absolutely no evidence produced on record to show that any property, monetary gain or otherwise was delivered to the Accused as a consequence of the alleged use of the forged document. None of the witnesses examined by the Prosecution have stated that they have suffered any loss or that the accused have made any wrongful gain."
Background of the Controversial Case
The prosecution had alleged that Sushma Narvekar filed a false live birth report with the Mapusa municipality in 1995, registering their son's date of birth as February 28, 1992, instead of the actual birth date of February 28, 1993. This manipulation was purportedly intended to allow their son to participate in under-15 cricket tournaments for three consecutive years while Dayanand Narvekar served as president of the Goa Cricket Association.
According to the prosecution's claims, the forged birth certificate was submitted to Shiksha Niketan School for admission purposes and to the Board of Control for Cricket in India through the GCA to facilitate the son's cricket eligibility. The investigation began in 2010 following a complaint by Shekar Salkar, with four different investigating officers from Mapusa police station handling the matter over the years.
Court Questions Investigation Methods and Motives
In a strongly worded observation, the court suggested that the investigation may have been conducted with predetermined conclusions. The magistrate noted: "It seems that the entire investigation proceeded with tunnel vision and in a predetermined manner to pin the blame on Narvekars."
The court found that the evidence presented aligned more closely with the Narvekars' defense that Salkar filed the complaint as retaliation after being expelled from the Goa Cricket Association by Dayanand Narvekar. The magistrate added: "The circumstances brought on record show that the Narvekar had absolutely no need or any reason to fabricate the live birth report."
Defense Arguments and Witness Testimony Issues
The Narvekar couple maintained throughout the trial that the case was filed against them out of jealousy, as their son was performing exceptionally well in cricket and opponents wanted him removed from the GCA. They argued that the allegations were baseless and motivated by personal vendettas.
Interestingly, the complainant Shekar Salkar testified that he had misplaced all original documents related to the case and later expressed disinterest in pursuing the matter further. This testimony, combined with the lack of concrete evidence, significantly weakened the prosecution's position.
The court specifically highlighted that prosecution witnesses and documentary evidence remained "completely silent as to when, where, how and to whom the accused used the alleged forged document." This evidentiary gap proved crucial in the final acquittal decision.
With this ruling, the 16-year legal battle concludes in favor of the Narvekar family, bringing closure to a case that has lingered in Goa's legal and cricketing circles for nearly two decades.
