HC slams prosecution in Alister Pereira case

Next time Alistair Pereira comes before the Bombay High Court, he probably will not forget to bow before he leaves. Besides questioning the state over the weakness of the probe into the Carter Road hit-and-run case, Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar taught court etiquette to Pereira saying, “You must have the courtesy to bow before you leave the court.”

On Thursday, the court was surprised to know that Pereira who could pay Rs 5 lakh compensation ordered by the Sessions and Fast Track court, Sewree on April 13 in 30 minutes after the order was passed, could not arrange for an advocate to represent him before the court. This observation was the direct fall-out after Pereira sought an adjournment in the case saying his advocate, Manjula Rao, was out of the country.

Pereira told court that he was aware since April 21 that he would have to be present in the court after he was summoned through a suo motu action of the court. “Though this is hardly any reason, we grant the accused adjournment and a final opportunity to argue the matter at the next hearing”, a division bench of Chief Justice Kumar and Justice SC Dharmadhikari said, while adjourning the case till June 6.

State Advocate General Ravi Kadam said the public prosecutor in the trial court did not show presence of mind as the chemical analysis report showed that Pereira had consumed alcohol and also a bottle was seized from his car. The police commissioner said, “If the court orders we will reinvestigate the case.”