Team Herald
PANJIM: The North Goa Additional District and Sessions Court, Panjim, on Monday dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Goa Prant chief Subhash Velingkar for his remarks on St Francis Xavier.
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Additional Sessions Judge Bosco Roberts read out the order at around 9 pm in the presence of advocates and the interveners. Dismissing the anticipatory bail application, the Judge said that the Bicholim Police should arrest Velingkar by following the Supreme Court guidelines in Arnesh
Kumar case.
Arguing on behalf of the applicant, senior advocate S D Lotlikar and Adv Vinayak Porob stated that Velingkar had not committed any offence. The DNA test (of St Francis Xavier) was a mere suggestion and that there was no intention to hurt anyone.
However, Adv Amit Palekar, who represented one of the interveners Velim MLA Cruz Silva, brought to the notice of the Sessions Court that why Velingkar should be denied anticipatory bail. He told the Court that Velingkar had not restricted to suggestion but called St Francis Xavier a ‘dead body’ which was intentional and deliberate attempt to hurt religious sentiments and incite communal violence.
Bail is a rule, but Velingkar’s statement created communal tensions in the State, Adv Palekar said.
He said that denial of anticipatory bail should serve as a deterrent to him. “Velingkar is habitual to making such statements. Attempt was deliberate because he raised the issue of Rs 400 crore the government is spending on decennial Exposition then he (Velingkar) ought to also discuss the Rs 1,000 crore government scams,” said Adv Palekar.
The other three interveners Valanka Alemao, Warren Alemao and Gina Pereira were represented by Advocates Nikhil Araujo, Melvon Afonso and Rassano Noronha respectively.
Public Prosecutor Sushma Mandrekar too submitted that custodial interrogation of Velingkar was necessary.
The statement made by Velingkar at Bicholim on October 1, created a stir across the State with the Catholic community resorting to road blockades and demanding immediate arrest of Velingkar. On Friday night, the Bicholim Police registered a case against Velingkar under Section 299 of BNS while next day Velingkar filed an anticipatory bail application.
The Additional Sessions Court had denied interim relief to him and had posted the matter for hearing on Monday.
