Lets Hear Pink

A little while ago DNA reported the following-“a day after a local court dismissed his bail plea in the Nadia Torrado death case, former Goa tourism minister Fransisco Pacheco was today shifted from a district hospital to the prisoners ward in the state-run Goa Medical College (GMC)”

Some short history before coming to the actual ‘health issues’.

The 46-year-old NCP legislator was booked by the crime branch in connection with death of his ‘close friend’ (everyone knew she was his girlfriend) Nadia Torrado (28), who allegedly committed suicide after consuming poison. He was charged with abetment of suicide and culpable homicide not amounting to murder and was forced to resign from his position.

After loads of explanations over why she consumed poison-silly things like she thought it was toothpaste and accidently swallowed it (we swallow the whole toothpaste when we brush our teeth!) and she was saddened by the fact that his living partner was a called as chief guest to some public function (really intelligent thinking!) – applied for anticipatory bail suspecting he would be arrested.

After the local courts rejected his pleas he went to the Bombay High Court and later even the Supreme Court to avoid arrest but without success. (If it was within him to go to International Court also he would have, believe me).

He even ‘went absconding’ for while (who wouldn’t notice a burly popular politician escaping the tiny state of Goa, except maybe those with an eye for money?) and when all the so-called legal and illegal tricks failed he suddenly fell seriously ill enough to be kept in the ICU!

And even after all this our judiciary fails to see through the act (or has really become blind to it). Additional sessions judge Pramod Kamat had ordered crime branch to take custody of the former minister only after he is discharged from the hospital or certified to be medically fit.

While investigating agencies ‘raise suspicion’ over his illness, the former minister is undergoing (enjoying?) treatment for hypertension, jaundice and urinary tract infection.

GMC sources said they are yet to constitute a panel and till then, the minister would be kept in the prisoners ward.

Is the judiciary really blind or are there special provisions for the ‘Political Class’? We can’t wait to find out!