Colva, Dec 2 (TOI): Two separate Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) courts have discharged the accused, Francis Pereira alias 'Boy', in four cases related to desecration of crosses and places of worship in South Goa.

The four cases against Pereira include the desecration of the Alma Khuris at Chandor on July 19, Our Lady of Vailankani Shrine at Paroda on July 2, besides the temple desecration at Chandreshwar Parvat junction at Paroda in 2009 and idol vandalism at Veroda, Cuncolim.

All the four cases were registered against the accused by the Maina-Curtorim and Cuncolim police following his arrest in the Curchorem cemetery desecration case.

Adv Anju Shankar Amonkar, appearing for Pereira in the Chandor case, submitted to the court that there is no evidence on record to suggest that the accused has committed the offence. JMFC Pooja Sardesai later discharged the accused.

In three other cases, advocate Eric Coutinho brought to the notice of the court that the police had earlier arrested two other persons in connection with the same offence. Pereira was granted discharge by JMFC Anuradha Andrade in these three cases.