2016 BRICS Summit food scam case: Caterer seeks time to file reply

The full bench of the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) headed by retired Justice U.V.Bakre and comprising of former District Judges Desmond D’Costa and Pramod Kamat today adjourned to March 24^th further hearing of the 2016 BRICS Summit food scam case as the Bicholim based Amoncar Classic Caterers sought time for to file their reply.

A Division Bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa comprising of Justice Mahesh Sonak and Justice Nutan Sardessai on 18^th February directed the GHRC to rehear the 2016 BRICS Summit food scam case by giving a hearing to the accused Caterer who had moved the High Court stating that it was not heard by the GHRC.

The GHRC on 30^th April last year in its final order on the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues while directing the Director General of Police to impose appropriate penalty on  Amoncar Classic Caterers, had pointed out that  Article 21 of the Constitution of India provides that every individual has a right to life which includes right to live with decency and human dignity and that on account of unhygienic food supplied to the police personnel during the 2016 BRICS  summit there was a clear infringement of Article 21 thus violating the basic human rights of the police personnel to live with decency and human dignity.

Adv. Aires Rodrigues in his complaint to the GHRC on 14th October 2016 submitted that the contract for a whopping Rs 51, 60,000 was given to Amoncar Classic Caterers without a proper tender for supply of food to police personnel posted on duty for the BRICS summit and that the contract was sub-let to a road side contractor who clandestinely prepared the food in an open space at Verna.

Pointing out that road side laborers were engaged for cooking that substandard food in most unhygienic conditions with water stored in open plastic barrels and used for cooking, Adv. Rodrigues in his complaint further submitted that with thick bushes around the insects and cockroaches found their way into the food served to the police personnel.

Adv. Rodrigues also stated that despite the GHRC having more than once reminded the Government that police personnel are Human beings and should so be treated, the authorities had failed to make any proper arrangements including food, water and toilet facilities for the police personnel.

Adv. Rodrigues further stated that while the Government had gone overboard in making all arrangements for those visiting dignitaries, it had conveniently neglected to cater to the basic fundamental and human rights of its own police personnel.

Stating that the authorities had lost sight that police personnel too have a personal life, Adv. Rodrigues in his complaint pointed out that the Government could not be allowed to be a cause for ruining their health and lives. The GHRC by an interim order on 18th October 2016 directed that no payments should be released to Amoncar Classic Caterers pending inquiry into the entire episode.