Goa: Santa Cruz Double Murder Case.

No clean chit to anyone, working on all possible angles: Superintendent of Police

Goa: Santa Cruz Double Murder Case.

PANJIM/ OLD GOA: Police today told that they have been working on all possible angles in the St Cruz double murder case and not just going by the allegations against Norman Fernandes who has been named as the main accused by Mathias Vaz, whose daughter- in- law ( Norman's sister) and wife was tragically killed last week.

Responding to queries, Superintendent of Police Priyanka Kashyap said that police are aware about the allegations against Edgar Vaz, the husband of Noreen and son of Aurita who were killed apparently after a family dispute in their home on September 2. “ We are aware of these allegations and are investigating every possible angle... We have not given a clean chit to anybody right now,” she told Media

Kashyap said the fatal attack seems to be a premeditated crime as per the investigations so far. “ It looks to be premeditated crime… since the prime accused ( Norman) is not being interrogated as he is undergoing medical treatment we cannot give shape to the investigation as of now,” she said, responding to a question that the parish priest’s statement expresses doubt that Norman could have attacked his sister Noreen when he was in fact known to be in a troubled relationship with her husband Edgar.

Now, over a week after the gruesome attack, the police will reconstruct the scene of crime based on the statements and after corroboration with evidence gathered so far. Police said co- accused Noel had left the St Cruz house when arguments between Edgar and Norman were turning heated on the fateful night.

It has not been established so far as to who provoked whom during the argument and how the two women came to be fatally stabbed, Kashyap said, adding that police are “ still ascertaining facts”. “ It is still not conclusive who killed whom. It is still not concluded who was carrying the knife. About provocation, let the case investigation take shape. We are yet to interrogate Norman,” she added.

Police sources said doctors have told them his discharge is possible only after a week.

Kashyap said police would not and were not basing its investigations on statements made by Mathias. “ We don’t depend on witnesses' statements unless these are collaborated with evidence. The intention and many other factors that resulted in the fatal attack is still being established,” she stated.

Another senior officer told Media that Edgar’s role is being scrutinized considering his past record. “ We are verifying his antecedents. His role is under the Santa Cruz double murder The dramatis personae & their bio sketches .

The double murder on otherwise peaceful 2 September evening shattered the calm, friendly environment of St Cruz which is still reeling in shock. A brother has been accused of killing his sister and her mother- in- law in a fit of rage.

Whilst police must, of course, do their job fairly and be seen to be doing so as it is they who have the responsibility and the resources to do, the information gathered by our reporters on the dramatis personae in this real- life Goan tragedy  Norman, a special educator at a school in Porvorim who is still admitted in GMC with " self- inflicted wounds", his statement on what happened that fateful evening as yet unrecorded by police, and his brother- in- law Edgar, who along with his father has alleged that his brother- in- law was the killer  paint a picture of the two that may well have a bearing on the case.

Norman Fernandes

·        School, Vasco on August 31, 2007 as a special educator.

·     He was transferred to Sanjay School, Porvorim, in the higher secondary section on 5 June 2013.

·         School chairperson Guruprasad Pawasker said Norman was very co- operative with the teachers and there was no complaint whatsoever from the students or parents. His was extremely well- behaved and, from all accounts, well- liked.

·         Norman's neighbours and villagers in Bambolim said they thought it very unlikely that he would ever pick up a weapon to harm or kill anybody, least of all his sister.

·         He had a close relationship with his sister Noreen and had even gifted her sewing machine to help with her professional training as a tailor a few days before the murders.

·   Norman was known to have lent money to his sister whenever she was in a financial crisis and supported her throughout when she was going through a troubled relationship with her husband, which she had complained about to the women's commission.

·        While admitted in GMC, his statement as yet unrecorded by police, he has sent a message to the parish priest to take care of his four- year- old niece about whose welfare he has expressed concern

Edgar Vaz

  

·        The alleged victim of the attack, it has been independently corroborated, was a regular at Panjim's offshore casinos.

·         Police are still following up leads that he had borrowed lakhs of rupees from a private individual on high interest rates and reassured the lender when pressed for payment that his wife’s property would fetch him more than enough to cover his loan.

·        Cases of cheating, bouncing of cheque and vehicle theft ( filed against him by his late wife Noreen in connection with her Hyundai Getz car) were registered at different police stations.

·        Police sources said Edgar failed to respond to summons under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for bouncing of cheques.

·        The St Cruz parish priest has said that Norman and Noreen’s mother, while on her deathbed, had asked her son to take care of his sister and niece as she was aware of the complaints about Edgar made by Noreen.

·         A complaint of domestic violence and harassment had been made against him by his late wife Noreen with the Block Development Office, Tiswadi; Noreen had undergone counselling over strained marital relationship with a former chairperson of Goa State Women’s Commission.

·         Evidence collected so far by police as well as interviews Herald has conducted with a number of people in the know point to the fact that he was anticipating the sale of his wife’s property.

Economic Development Corporation had lately sanctioned a loan of Rs 4 lakh to Edgar; the status of the loan, whether regular payments made or whether there was any default, is yet to be confirmed by police