Court Orders Framing of Charges Against Three in 2021 Explosives Theft Case

The Mapusa Additional Sessions Court has ordered the framing of criminal charges against three accused—Pritesh Gawade, Gauresh Shivdekar and Krishna Gaonkar—in connection with the 2021 break-in and theft of high-grade explosives from a storage magazine in Pale, Bicholim.

The court has ordered that charges be framed for negligent conduct with an explosive substance, lurking house-trespass, theft, dishonestly receiving stolen property, and causing the disappearance of evidence.

According to the prosecution’s case, registered by the Bicholim Police Station, the incident took place between the evening of November 27, 2021, and the morning of November 29, 2021, at the magazine room of a private company in Pale village.

The main accused, Pritesh Gawade, a resident of Pissurlem, allegedly broke into the facility by cutting open the door latches, reportedly using a hacksaw frame and blade that were later recovered by investigators. He allegedly stole 100 kg of nitrate mixture, 1,750 detonators and seven non-electric shock tubes, collectively valued at approximately ₹46,500.

Gawade subsequently allegedly shared part of the stolen cache with Gauresh Shivdekar, a resident of Vantem, and Krishna Gaonkar, a resident of Molem, Dharbandora. To cover up the crime, Shivdekar allegedly disposed of a portion of the stolen explosives by throwing them into the Mahadei River near the Padeli bridge. Two missing boxes were later recovered nearby following a tip-off to the police.

During arguments on the discharge applications, defence counsels sought the discharge of all three accused, raising several objections, including a three-day delay in lodging the initial FIR and the non-impleadment of the company’s authorised representative in the charge sheet.

However, the court rejected the defence’s discharge pleas, ruling that sufficient material was available on record to proceed with the trial against all three accused. With the order for framing charges having been passed, the trial against the three accused will now proceed before the Sessions Court.