Zenito Cardozo

Zenito Francisco Cardozo (born 1 December 1988) is an Indian gangster, history-sheeter, and the gang leader of the Bang Bang gang based in St. Cruz. He first gained notoriety in 2008 during the attack on social activist Aires Rodrigues and historian Prajal Sakhardande. Since then, he has been a key figure in over a dozen criminal incidents in North Goa.

Early life Zenito Francisco Cardozo was born on 1 December 1988 in Ribandar, Goa, to Vicente Cardozo and Maria De Lourdes Alexandrina Graca Gomes e Cardozo (née Gomes) (1957–2013). Before his criminal involvement, Cardozo was characterized as a reclusive resident of St. Cruz, Goa, who lived in a small ancestral home and had no employment history.

Criminal career 2008 attack case On 13 October 2008, an incident thrust Cardozo into the public eye when Aires Rodrigues, an advocate and activist, was assaulted by a group of seven individuals at a bar in Panaji. Rodrigues, accompanied by historian Prajal Sakhardande and other friends, was dining when the attack occurred. As a result of the assault, Rodrigues sustained an injury to one of his fingers and required immediate medical attention, leading to surgical intervention at a local hospital.

In January 2009, the Panaji police, citing a lack of evidence, filed a chargesheet in a local court under the provisions of the Arms Act, 1959,

On 30 November 2015, the North Goa District Court acquitted all six accused individuals involved in the Rodrigues attack case, while Dinesh Patil remained a fugitive. The acquittals were granted on the basis of the benefit of doubt, as both the victims and witnesses testified that all the accused individuals were wearing monkey caps, impeding their identification. Pratima Vernekar, serving as the public prosecutor, represented the State during the proceedings. The investigation of the case was conducted by police inspector Francis Corte, who held the position of inspector of the Panjim Police Station at that time. Rodrigues expressed his belief that the investigation had been conducted in a manner that rendered conviction implausible. During the clash, Cardozo himself sustained injuries and received medical treatment at the Goa Medical College in Bambolim. Cynthia, Cardozo's sister, made allegations implicating Rodolfo Fernandes, the son of St. Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes, in the incident. Cynthia further asserted that Cardozo was unjustly implicated and did not possess any weapon during the altercation. She also claimed that the police deliberately impeded the investigation by threatening multiple eyewitnesses through telephone communication. The veracity of these claims can potentially be substantiated by examining the phone records with mobile operators, Cynthia stated.

Cynthia asserted that Cardozo was compelled to defend himself against a group of notorious individuals, namely Francis D'Souza, alias Miranda, aged 36, Prakash Naik, alias Pokka, and their associates, in order to avoid being lynched to death. In light of these allegations, Cynthia demanded that the investigation into the incident be entrusted to either the Crime Branch or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). She communicated her plea by writing letters to the Chief Minister of Goa, Director General of Police (DGP), and Chief secretary. The reporter in Old Goa stated that Rodolfo denied the accusations against him, alleging that they were orchestrated by people with specific motives aiming to damage his character. Likewise, Prakash Naik, a Merces panchayat member, refuted the accusations made by Cynthia, asserting that he and Rodolfo were not behind the purported violent assault on Cardozo. Cynthia had publicly stated in a press conference that Naik, along with Rodolfo, orchestrated the attack on Cardozo. Naik rejected these accusations as a mere strategic political tactic aimed at tarnishing their reputation in the public eye.

After the event took place, the Agacaim police initiated legal proceedings by filing a murder case against Cardozo and his associates for the death of Kalel. Additionally, they filed an attempted murder case against individuals such as Miranda, Fernandes, and others who were linked to the attack on Cardozo and his group. In the detailed ruling, the court cleared Cardozo of murder charges but convicted him of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. It concluded that the event was not planned but a spontaneous outcome of a sudden altercation. Nadar and Nazareth were also found not guilty of any accusations. Judge Vijaya Pol of the additional sessions court issued the verdict, sentencing Cardozo to three years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 304 (II) of the law. Cardozo was further given a three-year term of rigorous imprisonment under Section 326. Furthermore, the court imposed a fine of on Cardozo, taking into consideration his role in the deaths of Kalel and Fernandes. The funeral service took place two days later at Holy Cross Church in St. Cruz. Additionally, Cardozo has established connections with prominent politicians, including Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, and formerly served as his personal bodyguard.