MONDAY, MAY 06, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Principal District and Sessions Court, North Goa, on Wednesday granted conditional bail to Head Constables Sanjay Talkar and Udairaj alias Raju Kalangutkar attached to Tiracol Coastal Police Station who were arrested in connection with the alleged bribery and extortion case.
They have been granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each and a surety of a like amount. The court, however, directed the cops not to leave the state of Goa without permission of the investigating officer or the court in which a chargesheet may be filed. The duo were orderd to furnish information about their passport, if any by placing a copy of the same on record. They were also directed to attend hearing on the date given by the court and not to interfere, influence or threaten witnesses.
The court will hear the bail application of Police Inspector Vidyesh Pilgaonkar on Thursday.
Sanjay Talkar was arrested on April 12, 2024, after after the North Goa Sessions Court dismissed his anticipatory bail application. Few days later, the ACB managed to arrest Udairaj alias Raju Kalangutkar as well.
The complainant Pruthvi H N, operating a paraglider-low panorama adventure sports activity at Keri-Pernem, with a valid registration certificate issued by the Tourism Department filed a detailed complaint to the Superintendent of Police of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Nelson Albuquerque about how he was harassed, directed to cough up protection money to carry on with his trade and how his para-glider and harness were taken away from a hillock without following the standard operating procedure.
Pruthvi also stated that to save their skin, the cops at the Tiracol Coastal Security Police Station manipulated the station diary and filed a false complaint against him.
In his complaint, Pruthvi narrated how Rs 10,000 was demanded by the police, to carry on with his trade every month or face a shutdown of his business.
Pruthvi stated that a negotiation was arrived at and the settled for Rs 8,000 through G Pay was transferred to Talkar’s cellphone number. He also shared a screenshot to the WhatsApp number of PI Pilgaonkar 7875756208 confirming that the e-bribe was paid.
Pruthvi was later directed by Talkar not to make payments via GPay in future.
On March 16, 2024, Talkar allegedly approached Pruthvi to pay the balance amount for the next two months and when the latter refused to do so, the head constable and another cop around 2.30 pm on March 22, 2024, came to the Paliem hillock and seized his para glider and harness.
