“I am very confident that through a free and fair investigation the truth will emanate and those politicians behind this high-handed fabricated and malicious complaint against me will be exposed,” he told media after an extensive questioning at CB’s Ribandar office. 

 

Rodrigues was earlier summoned on Thursday but he moved the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Panaji seeking court to monitor the case and replacing the investigating officer. While the matter is now posted for hearing on December 12, CB issued fresh summons on him directing to appear on Friday. He also met the police higher ups putting forth his reason seeking a postponement.

 

“The reason he submitted is irrelevant and if he fails to appear today, it will be treated that Rodrigues is not cooperating with the investigation,” superintendent of police Kartik Kashyap had said after is using him fresh summons. 

 

Rodrigues had sought replacing IO Inspector Dattaguru Sawant. 

 

The Home Department had last month transferred the case of sexual harassment from Anjuna police station to CB, following allegations from women’s NGO Savera that local police was doing a biased probe. 

 

Anjuna police on November 28 registered FIR against him under sections 354 (A) (iv)(sexual harassment), 509 (words or gesture to insult modesty of a woman), 500 (punishment for defamation) of Indian Penal Code. In her complaint, the woman victim alleged that on November 4, 2017, Rodrigues had circulated on Facebook and Whatsapp an alleged video footage of Miniater Vinod Paliencar with her. The complainant also claimed that on November 7, Rodrigues circulated her picture on whatsapp linking her to the alleged sex scandal.

 

NGO Savera, which is offering all legal assistance to the victim, lodged a separate complaint at Women Police Station alleging Rodrigues indulged in character assassination of the victim by falsely linking her to the alleged sex scandal and posting her video and photographs on social media.