Team Herald
PANJIM: In a relief to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State president Adv Amit Palekar, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday set aside the Ponda Additional Sessions Court’s order cancelling his bail in the horrific Banastarim accident matter.
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While hearing a criminal revision application filed by Adv Palekar, the High Court has held that the order passed by the Additional Sessions Judge was an ‘illegal’ order, said senior advocate Nitin Sardesai, who argued on behalf of Adv Palekar.
Adv Palekar said that since he had exposed some of the wrongdoings of the government, including failure of law and order, he was cautioned about attempt to implicate him in some cases. He said that the High Court order was an embarrassment to the Crime Branch.
Adv Sardesai pointed out that the investigation in the case was not hampered due to Adv Palekar visiting countries other than France. He referred to the matter as a case of political vendetta and a ‘storm in a teacup’.
“We always felt that he (Adv Palekar) had a blanket order to travel abroad, wherever he wants to go. Court now gives its imprimatur, because it has seen that it is a blanket order,” Adv Sardesai said, adding that the inference drawn from the order by the Ponda Court was highly unwarranted.
The Ponda Additional Sessions Court had last week cancelled the bail citing his foreign trips in violation of bail conditions.
Adv Palekar is accused of tampering with evidence in the Bansatarim accident case reported on August 6, 2023 that snuffed three lives and injured three others.
Later, Adv Palekar said that he had not violated any bail conditions. “Since I had not done anything wrong, I had faith in the judiciary. I had not violated any bail conditions. Being a lawyer I could never do such a foolish mistake,” he said.
