Mangalore, July 22: Mrs. Manjula Manasa, the Chairperson of Karnataka State Commission for Women (KSCW), Bangalore, has pulled up the Mangalore Police for not having arrested the priests Father Denzil Lobo, Father Almedia, Father Cyril, Vice Principal John D’Silva and Advocate M.P. Noronha who are the prime accused in the John Baptist Lewis Demolition case.
Mrs. Manjula, in a strongly worded communication addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Mangalore, has asked to explain as to why the police are siding with these persons and have not arrested them for the last 30 DAYS even though the Court has rejected the Anticipatory Bail Applications.
Mrs. Manjula has pointed out to the Police that she has personally enquired into the case which discloses the shocking fact that when Melita and Savita, the two daughters of John Baptist Lewis rushed to the spot and tried to stop the demolition of their home, these accused persons directed the driver of the Bulldozer to drive the machine over them and finish them. When they refused to move, the machine was stopped after the attempt to murder and these Priests physically caught hold of the girls, pulled them aside, assaulted and molested them after which they forcibly controlled them till the demolition was over.
The Commission has taken a very strong view of the fact that in a serious incident like this where the Priests have attacked these two young women and that the Investigating Officer has not properly recorded their Statements with the intension to save the Priests, the Lawyer and the Vice Principal, she wrote.
She also added that the infuriating factor in this case is that the dispute regarding the property is sub-judice before the Civil Court and the house has been demolished during the pendency of the Civil Proceedings in rank Contempt of Court for which the Commission is taking action through the High Court.
Making her point clear to the Police that this case is even more serious than the Pub Assault Case and the Morning Mist Case because there are religious persons involved and more importantly, a Lawyer has participated in the event along with his clients, the Commission has ordered immediate corrective action in the investigation and action against the accused persons according to Law, she directed.
