BJP legislator demands parole for Fransisco Miccky Pacheco

PANAJI: BJP MLA Michael Lobo today demanded that imprisoned Goa Vikas Party (GVP) legislator Fransisco Miccky Pacheco should be granted parole by the state government to allow him to participate in the ongoing Legislative Assembly session.

"Pacheco has been sentenced and is undergoing a six-month term. I am requesting Chief Minister (Laxmikant Parsekar) to grant him parole," Lobo told reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing Assembly session which began today.

Lobo, who represents Calangute constituency, said "Every legislator needs to be present in the House so that issues related to his constituency can be discussed on the floor of the House."

Pacheco, who was elected from Nuvem constituency, is currently undergoing six months imprisonment for slapping a government servant and has already applied for parole.

"The Inspector General of Prison should immediately grant the parole. As per law, every convict gets parole on different grounds. He has served more than one month sentence. If government wants they can give parole by evening," he added.

He further demanded, "By tomorrow he should be here".

Earlier in the day, Goa Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar told PTI that he would not mind Pacheco attending the session, if he is granted permission by the court or IGP.

"I want him to participate in the session as he is representing his constituents," he said.