Nadia case: Goa ex-Tourism Minister sent to judicial custody

m.today

Panaji, July 3:   On the run for nearly a month, Goa’s former Tourism Minister Fransisco Mickky Pacheco on Saturday surrendered before the Sessions Court in Margao in connection with the death of his friend Nadia Torrado. He has now been sent to judicial custody for the next two days.

Speaking to NDTV, Mickky Pacheco said, "I am trapped by political opponents. Nadia was just a close friend...I cross my heart and say I am innocent."

The NCP leader’s anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Supreme Court on July 1, leaving him with no other option but to give himself up.


Former Goa Tourism Minister Fransisco Mickky Pacheco, wanted in connection with the death of Nadia Torrado, surrendered.

Panaji: July 3:  Former Goa Tourism Minister Fransisco Mickky Pacheco, wanted in connection with the death of his friend Nadia Torrado, has surrendered.

"Pacheco will make himself available to the Crime Branch tomorrow morning," his lawyer Amit Palekar had told reporters yesterday.

Pacheco and his former officer on special duty, Lyndon Monteiro are wanted in connection with the death of Torrado, 28, who died after allegedly consuming poison on May 30.

The Supreme Court had dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Pacheco on Thursday saying he could tamper with the investigation owing to his "political clout".

The bench of Justices R M Lodha and A K Patnaik, however, had stayed the arrest of co-accused Monteiro until three weeks and directed the State police to file its response to his anticipatory bail plea.

Police have charged 46-year-old Pacheco with culpable homicide while Monteiro has been accused of destroying evidence.