Colva: The court of the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC), Vasco, has acquitted five individuals accused of unlawful assembly and public nuisance at the Goa International Airport, Dabolim in May 2022, citing investigative lapses. The court was presided over by Pooja S. Desai.The accused — Joseph Minguel, Leslie De Souza and Felizardo Cliff De Souza of Katem Baina, along with Dishu Singh and Troy Fernandes of Vasco — were cleared of all charges.The prosecution alleged that between 3.30am and 3.35am at the airport’s departure gate, the accused arrived in a vehicle, formed an unlawful assembly causing inconvenience to passengers.In her judgment, Desai noted that the investigating officer failed to conduct a test identification parade, assign specific roles to each accused, and examine independent witnesses seen in video footage. The court held that identification by CISF personnel at the police station after viewing the identity cards was jalso unreliable.
