SC says no more adjournment in power rebate case

PANAJI: While adjourning the multi-crore power rebate corruption case involving panchayat minister Mauvin Godinho for a week, the Supreme Court on Thursday made it clear that there would be no more adjournments in the case.
The apex court division bench comprisng justice N V Ramana and justice S Abdul Nazeer observed that on the requests of the counsels, it was decided to list the matters after a week.“It is made clear that no further adjournment will be granted in the matters,” the court confirmed.
In 2007, the high court of Bombay at Goa had directed the accused to face trial before a special court for corruption and criminal conspiracy. This was challenged by Godinho before the Supreme Court. The power rebate scam was unearthed by chief minister Manohar Parrikar while he was MLA and had lodged a complaint with the crime branch in May 1998.
After a prolonged investigation spanning over three-and-a-half years, the crime branch had filed a chargesheet in the special court against Godinho, two industrial units and four others in connection with the alleged Rs 4.52 crore power rebate scam. Besides several charges, the crime branch accused Godinho and former chief electrical engineer T Nagrajannagrajan with allegedly entering into a conspiracy with two companies and other accused to grant them 25% power rebate by issuing notifications in 1996.