The Mapusa JMFC Court has acquitted 68-year-old Sham Govekar in the January 2025 Rottweiler attack case after the complainant and the victim made no incriminating statements against him, following an amicable out-of-court settlement.

According to the prosecution, the incident took place on the night of January 29, 2025, at around 10:15 pm near the residence of complainant Sunil Salgaonkar in Badem, Assagao. Govekar was alleged to have kept his Rottweiler unleashed and failed to take sufficient care to prevent danger to human life. The dog bit the complainant’s brother, 40-year-old Vinil Salgaonkar, injuring his left leg.

After the attack, the victim was treated at the Primary Health Centre in Siolim. Acting on Sunil Salgaonkar’s complaint, Anjuna Police registered an FIR for alleged negligent conduct with respect to a domestic animal and subsequently filed a charge sheet against Govekar.

During the trial, the victim, complainant and accused filed a joint application seeking permission to compound the offence. In an accompanying affidavit, Govekar undertook never to leave his Rottweiler loose, unleashed or unattended in any street, public place or community area, and promised to keep the pet under strict supervision whenever it was outside.

The court, however, dismissed the joint compounding petition, observing that the offence was non-compoundable in law and could not be compounded even with the court’s permission. It accordingly directed that the trial proceed.

When the case was taken up again, both the victim and the complainant retracted their grievances on record. Vinil Salgaonkar testified that he and Govekar had settled the dispute amicably, of their own free will and without any force or coercion. He formally requested the court not to rely on his earlier examination-in-chief and stated that he bore no grievance against his neighbour.

Since the key prosecution witnesses made no incriminating statements against the accused, the court dispensed with recording the accused’s statement.

Holding that the prosecution had failed to prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt, the JMFC Court acquitted Govekar.