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CURCHOREM SEX SCANDAL: Will the police really take action?By Olav Albuquerque
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CURCHOREM SEX SCANDAL: Will the police really take action?By Olav Albuquerque

April 04- April 10, 2026, LAW April 3, 2026 , by

WHETHER the Goa Police is capable of getting to the bottom of the Curchorem sex scandal is a debatable point. This is because the prime accused allegedly involves Soham Naik, who is the son of a Curchorem-Cacora municipal councillor. The accused was remanded to 14 days judicial custody on March 31, 2026.
 The law point here is bail is the rule and jail the exception even in heinous cases where the accused approach the courts asserting they will not intimidate witnesses, destroy incriminating evidence or flee the country. The courts routinely grant bail because this is the settled law.
The exception is serious crimes under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) or the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) or other such laws which are draconian.
According to news reports, a fifth FIR was recently registered against this suspect. He is accused of recording and circulating obscene videos of minors.
When the nature of the crime is so heinous, that the local police station does not have trained personnel to investigate, it is referred to the crime branch which also comes under the home department headed by the chief secretary and the chief minister.
Investigators from the crime branch are reportedly identifying more survivors and seeking further custody through the Children’s Court. Tourism, sex and voyeurism seem to be interlinked with sex scandals erupting in this peaceful and sanguine state where Goans are more known to be sussegad. They appear to be more interested in imbibing their copit of feni ensconced on their cool balcao (balconies) of their old Portuguese-era bungalows, discussing politics and religion, rather than getting embroiled in sex scandals.
The Tarun Tejpal rape case ended in the acquittal of the high-profile editor of “Tehelka.” It exposed the high and mighty but ended up in the editor-owner himself getting exposed by his subordinate whom he was supposed to mentor. The appeal filed by the state with the approval of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was dragging on in the high court. The then PI, Sunita Sawant, who investigated the case and recorded testimonies, was later promoted to SP where she was allegedly transferred, after High Court. Decisions passed by the Goa bench of the Bombay high court affect most Goans which is why the High Court reservation on four per cent reservation will benefit over 100,000 disabled Goans and even those migrants who have settled in Goa after leaving their home states.
The High Court at Goa issued a stern notice to the State government on April 1, 2026 after a PIL was filed by the Disability Rights Association of Goa alleging that the Goa Staff Selection Commission advertised 722 Group C posts without reserving any for persons with benchmark disabilities.
In a laudatory move, the court has ordered the government to provide department-wise and cadre-wise data to prove compliance with the mandatory four per cent reservation under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.

Other High Court Matters:

  1. Ponda By-Election Challenge: The High Court is currently hearing petitions challenging the legality of the Ponda by-elections, with hearings scheduled to continue this week.
  2. Privacy vs. RTI: In a landmark privacy ruling on March 26, the High Court quashed an RTI order that had demanded the release of sensitive ICU patient data, citing medical privacy rights.
  3. Advocate Protection Bill: The Goa Cabinet recently approved the Goa Advocate Protection Bill 2026, aimed at preventing violence and false implication of legal professionals.
  4. Pendency Crisis: Recent data shows nearly 62,000 cases are pending in Goa’s district and subordinate courts, with approximately 3,000 new cases added in just the last 18 months.

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