The fateful day, when 3 senior diplomats from UK embassy met Goa State Prosecution head
If the verdict of Danielle McLaughlin's Rape and Murder trial comes on 14th October 2024, it would be exactly 7 Years and 7 Months since her tragic death.
This is an update to last post on Danielle McLaughlin rape and murder trial.
https://open.substack.com/pub/99goa/p/irish-girl-danielle-mclaughlin-rape-and-murder-trial-to-end-on-17-october-after-88-months?
As anxious as the family and friends of Danielle McLaughlin, who were at wits end trying to figure out, why Danielle's trial was back again to a 🐌 snail pace, the senior diplomats from United Kingdom embassy, decided to visit Goa and try to find out the scheme of things, first hand.
3 Senior women diplomats from United Kingdom met with Director of Prosecution Goa, Miss Poonam Bharne in mid of September and were apprised of the fact that, High Court of Bombay at Goa had indeed provided an extension of 3 months for conclusion of Danielle's trial.
The trial which was to end on 17th July 2024, was extended till 17th October 2024.
As written earlier, what was surprising that, the trial virtually stalled after 17th July 2024, after the expiry of original one year deadline.
After another extension was granted, it should have rather kept the same momentum, if not more, so as to keep up with the extended deadline.
State Prosecution along with the Judge were the best entities to grasp the quantum of the work load left to finish. But, instead of speeding up, trial languished badly, after a 3 months extension was granted.
Why, no one knows !
What also came to light that the Judge of the trial court requested Honourable High Court of Goa for a further extension to the already extended deadline.
This request was fastidiously denied by High Court. It was also instructed to the trial court Judge to conclude the trial on or before, 17th October 2024 and that shall include the verdict and Judgement Order also.
Hence, Judge of the Danielle's trial court agreed to hold full day hearings of Danielle's case from 19th September onwards, everyday till the trial gets over.
As the first deadline of 17th July approaches, everyone including the state prosecution was hopeful of finishing it on time. Even the Defense lawyer stated the same in a short sound byte to a local channel then.
https://youtu.be/blVfnNga2wk
These are the people who had the first hand knowledge of the enormity of workload left, and still they sounded optimistic for a closure on or before 17th July 2024.
As two months passed and still the trial was at slow pace, another request was made from the Judge of trial court to Honourable High Court, for another extension, which was denied the same day, when 3 senior woman diplomats from UK met the Director of Prosecution. They were informed immediately, of the same.
The enormity of workload is now sinking in, with daily full day hearings; and it seems, there was just still a lot left to be heard and disposed off by the trial court.
The question still remains the same, if this much of work was to be accomplished, why the hearings almost came to a halt, post 17th July 2024?
If High Court would not have denied the second request of the Judge, with a bare minimum another 3 months extension, the trial would have staggered till year end, bringing another 3 months of anxiety and pain to family and friends of Danielle.
Hopefully now, the verdict and judgement of Danielle's rape and murder trial is expected to come on 14th October 2024, which would be exact 7 Years and 7 Months since Danielle died.
That would be an apt day to conclude it all.
https://m.sundayworld.com/crime/irish-crime/when-this-is-over-maybe-i-can-finally-grieve-danielle-mclaughlins-mum-travelling-to-india/a240922505.html