Rubiya Shaikh
Daijiworld Media Network - Goa

Panaji, Sep 5: The defamation case filed by Advocate General of Goa Subodh Kantak against Utt Goenkara spokesman  Aires Rodrigues will come up for hearing on 5th September before Judicial Magistrate First Class, Panaji Edgar Fernandes. 

It is for the first time in the history of the country that an Advocate General of a State has filed a criminal case of defamation against an Advocate.

Aires Rodrigues will cross-examine Advocate General of Goa Subodh Kantak on a wide range of issues.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that he would amongst other witnesses examine Dayanand Narvekar, Somanth Zuwarkar, Mauvin Godinho and Churchill Alemao whom Advocate General Subodh Kantak in his complaint has claimed were "public figures and prominent persons" he has represented as a defence lawyer.

Rodrigues has stated that there has been absolutely no personal attack on Subodh Kantak's personal life but that all his statements were purely relating to the levy of fees by Subodh Kantak as the Advocate General of Goa, which was causing a very high burden on the State exchequer and unheard of in the history of any State of the country.

Subodh Kantak has in his complaint stated that Rodrigues's allegations  have affected his  reputation as a person and as a lawyer and has been mentally agonizing, inconvenient and causing him a lot of indignation.

Rodrigues has stated that the Advocate General being a constitutional functionary is a public official and that acts of public officials in discharge of their official duties is  open to public scrutiny and criticism not amounting to defamation.

Advocate General ubodh Kantak has also sought Rs. 15 crores from Aires Rodrigues by way of compensation which he has stated would be used for charitable causes like old age homes, orphanages and towards the welfare of animals.