Goa police have initiated an inquiry and departmental proceedings against crime branch inspector Vikas Deykar after an FIR was registered in an alleged sexual assault case involving a minor. Chief minister Pramod Sawant ordered the inquiry, while Deykar was suspended after appearing before Old Goa police in response to a summons.
The case concerns alleged incidents reported to have taken place on July 25 and October 27 at the crime branch office in Ribandar. Old Goa police have registered the FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Deykar appeared before Old Goa police and his statement was being recorded, according to the report. The allegations have not been established in court. The case involves a minor, and details that could identify the child have not been disclosed.
Goa director general of police Alok Kumar said departmental proceedings had been initiated against Deykar. “Goa police have a zero tolerance policy against misconduct. In the past, when there has been any misconduct, strict legal action has been taken. Here, too, legal action and departmental action have been initiated,” Kumar told reporters at an event marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The FIR also names Ranjini Palyekar, who has been accused of facilitating the alleged offences. The police action now involves both the criminal investigation by Old Goa police and the departmental process against the serving inspector. These are separate tracks: the FIR will be examined through the criminal justice system, while the departmental proceedings will determine whether service rules were breached.
The case has also triggered political criticism of the state government. Congress working president Sunil Kawthankar demanded Sawant’s resignation, arguing that the matter raised questions about the chief minister’s control over the home department. Sawant holds the home portfolio in Goa.
The inspector had been handed the President’s Colours by Union home minister Amit Shah in September, according to the report. That detail has added institutional significance to a case that directly concerns conduct inside a police office and the mechanisms available for investigating allegations against police personnel.
The immediate next steps are the recording of statements, the criminal investigation into the FIR and the departmental inquiry announced by the police leadership. The authorities have not disclosed further details about the minor or the evidence being examined.
