Panaji, Dec 22 (IANS) The Goa chief minister’s gold medal awarded to two senior police officers for ‘dedicated and commendable’ services has come under cloud with civic groups alleging that the tainted police officers have been decorated.
While police Inspector Santosh Dessai has been accused of major human rights violations, including the arrest of an 85-year-old woman peacefully protesting against illegal mining, Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Prabhudessai is being probed for his controversial visit to an offshore casino along with other senior police officers.

Speaking to IANS, spokesperson for the Goa federation of mines affected people Ramesh Gauns said by honouring such tainted officers with meritorious medals, the government was sending a wrong signal.

“Police Inspector Santosh Dessai for example is notorious for beating up women and children who were protesting against illegal mining earlier this year. In October last year, Dessai arrested an 85-year-old woman and put her in a lock up for a night for peacefully protesting against illegal mining in Sanguem (south Goa),” Gauns said.

“There were so many petitions against Dessai and how these police officers are used by mining companies to silence protests. And yet Chief Minister Digambar Kamat pins these medals on their chest. It speaks badly of the chief minister and the government,” Gauns said.

Gajanan Prabhudessai triggered a major controversy a couple of months after his controversial visit to an offshore casino along with several other officers and their actions onboard the gambling vessel created quite the stir.

Prabhudessai’s visit to the offshore casino has been well documented in the media and created a furore in the recently concluded winter session of the Goa legislative assembly. The case is being probed by the state director general of police.

“With the legislators and executive patronising the casinos, one cannot expect action against illegalities. It is left up to the people to be the custodians of law and prevent the degeneration of society that casinos have set in motion,” said leading women’s rights activist Sabina Martins of Bailancho Saad.

The Goa chief minister’s gold medal is awarded to police officers each year Dec 19 on occasion of Goa Liberation Day, for dedicated and commendable service.

This is not the first instance when medals of merits have been awarded to officers with a muddy track records. Some years back, police sub inspector Krishna Shetgaonkar was awarded a medal of merit, despite a corruption enquiry against him.