As many as 366 foreigners who have been granted bail by Goa's Courts have gone missing over the last five years, according to an order passed by the Bombay High Court bench in Goa, which has also slammed the Goa Police for not doing enough to curb the trend.
A division bench comprising of Justices M S Sonak and M S Jawalkar, made the observation while hearing an appeal by the State against the acquittal of a Czech citizen, who has been untraceable since he was granted bail by a trial court.
“It is evident that in almost 90 per cent of the cases where the foreigners have been enlarged on bail, their present whereabouts are unknown meaning thereby, that in all probabilities such foreigners have fled the country or otherwise not available to face the prosecution,” the order said.
The Court was hearing an appeal petition filed by the prosecution, against the acquittal of Czech national Pavel Neuhausel, who has been accused of murdering his partner Marketa Horka in 2013. Neuhausel cannot be contacted by the police ever since he was granted bail by a Goa Court.
In course of hearing the appeal petition, the Court had directed the state police to submit data related foreign nationals who were untraceable after they were granted bail.
“If the concerned police officials were to realise that the foreigners are not attending the police stations and marking their attendance, the least that was expected was to move the courts for cancellation of bail. Besides, the police officials were required to immediately swing into action and trace such foreigners, before they succeed in fleeing from justice,” the order also said.
The Court also said the police agencies espcially the top brass, "were not at all serious", either in apprehending the accused or fixing any responsibility upon the police officials, who were responsible for the accused jumping the bail and fleeing the country.
“This is a serious issue affecting the administration of criminal justice. If this continues, then, it will have a very serious effect upon the administration of criminal justice in the State of Goa,” the High Court said in its stinging observation.