Ex-PSI acquitted in 20-year-old firearms theft case

Panaji: In a 20-year-old case, a North Goa court has acquitted Felix D’Lima, ex-police sub-inspector, of theft of firearms between 2001 and 2003 when he was posted as in charge of the armoury section at police headquarters, Panaji.

He has also been acquitted of criminal breach of trust and destruction of evidence.He was accused of misappropriation and theft of one SBBL gun of the year 1972, one TBBL gun of 1981, one magazine of Savage pistol of 1982, 400 22” cartridges, and one pistol having No. 18-R of Shri R. V. Dessai, Gerral 50 or General 50. The FIR was registered in 2005.The court held that the prosecution failed to prove the very existence of the firearms as the investigating officer was not provided with registers.

“There is no explanation given as to why the said registers were not handed over even when they were asked for by the investigating officer,” the court stated.The court added that there was nothing on record to establish that the accused was entrusted with the firearms.“Even if the prosecution establishes that the accused was in charge of the civil armory, there is absolutely no evidence that the accused committed theft by stealing or that he has committed criminal breach of trust,” the court held.The testimony of witnesses nowhere revealed his involvement, the court stated.