Team Herald
PANJIM: In a major relief to senior journalist Rupesh Samant, the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) Panjim and Margao granted him conditional bail in the sexual harassment cases and trespass, respectively in two separate orders on Friday.
Samant walked out of Sada sub-jail hours later. In the first case, the JMFC Panjim imposed conditions such as surety of Rs 25,000 in each of the four cases, depositing passport in the court and reporting to the investigating officer for one hour from 10-11 am every Saturday. The court has also barred him from visiting the news agencies where he was employed and not to leave the State without prior permission of the court.
While in the trespass case registered at Margao police station, defence lawyer Gaurish Agni said, the JMFC Margao released him on a surety of Rs 5,000 and with order to cooperate with the investigation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Samant was granted bail in one of the three sexual harassment cases while order on the remaining cases were adjourned for Friday after arguments from the prosecution and defence.
On Thursday, when the final arguments were heard, the JMFC Panjim had refused the request of women police station for additional custody and remanded him to judicial custody. He was later taken into the custody of Margao police in another offence of trespass. On being produced before the JMFC Margao, the police had said it did not require his custody.
Samant had surrendered before chief judicial magistrate Ashley Noronha on Sunday, November 1.
