Stephen Slotweiner v. State Of Goa

2025:BHC-GOA:2033 WPCR 77 of 2025 Jose

IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA

CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO.77 OF 2025 STEPHEN SLOTWEINER ... PETITIONER

Versus

STATE OF GOA ... RESPONDENT Mr. Varun Bhandanker, Advocate under Legal Aid Scheme for the Petitioner.

Mr. S.G. Bhobe, Public Prosecutor for the State. CORAM:- VALMIKI MENEZES, J.

DATED :- 13th October, 2025 P.C.:

1. Registry to waive office objections and register the matter.

2. The challenge in this petition is to an order of 18.10.2024 passed by the Additional Sessions Court-1 at Panaji, Goa, by which the State was allowed to file a supplementary charge sheet at Exhibit 29 and dismissing objections to filing of the supplementary charge sheet, which are at Exhibit 30 of the file of the Trial Court. What must be also considered whilst disposing of this petition, is the fact that after the supplementary charge-sheet was allowed to be filed, the Sessions Court has completed the recording of the evidence of PW1, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Pernem, in whose custody the relevant seals were kept, and pursuant to recording of this evidence, the Movement 13th October, 2025

WPCR 77 of 2025 Register (extract of the Movement Register) of the seal from the office of the concerned Police Station (the raiding party) has been produced and accepted. The cross-examination of this witness is complete, and the trial has progressed where three witnesses have since been examined.

3. Considering the gross delay in filing this petition, and owing to the fact that the Accused/Petitioner has been represented by a Legal Aid Counsel throughout, interference with the impugned order at this stage will be uncalled for. However, the Petitioner may throw a challenge to both these orders i.e. taking on record aforementioned charge-sheet (Exhibit 29) and the dismissal of the objections (Exhibit

30) any grounds which may be raised, if the Applicant is finally convicted and an appeal is filed before it.

4. Leaving this question open to be challenged and granting leave to the Petitioner to raise this question in an appeal proceedings, the petition stands dismissed.

VALMIKI MENEZES, J.

Signed by: JOSE FRANCISCO DSOUZA Designation: Personal Assistant Date: 14/10/2025 20:34:14 13th October, 2025