MAPUSA: Actor Gaurav Bakshi who was arrested by the Colvale police for allegedly restraining Animal Husbandry Minister Nikant Halarnkar by blocking his car was on Friday granted bail by JMFC Mapusa.
It may be recalled that the actor was arrested after Halankar’s Personal Security Officer (PSO) filed a complaint at the Colvale Police Station regarding the matter.
The minister had earlier told the media that the incident took place when he was leaving in his vehicle after attending a function at the Revora panchayat on Wednesday. Halankar alleged that the accused’s car blocked his path and the actor threatened his PSO when asked to move his vehicle. Bakshi then released a video stating that he had filed a complaint against the minister over the incident at the Colvale police station.
Bakshi was then booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections related to “obstructing a public servant” and “wilful restraint”.
Defense lawyer Adv Nigel da Costa Frias said that his client Bakshi has been released from custody and added that they would now challenge the FIR and decide the future course of action.
Bakshi’s family alleged that infact it was the Minister who was harassing him and his family. His wife Rupinder Kaur stated that the allegations were false and fabricated and amounted to police harassment.
Adv Nigel da Costa Frias charged the FIR was false and stated that justice will be done by the court. “There was no case for an FIR or an arrest. Bakshi surrendered due to pressure on him and his family since he was to be arrested the previous night and then again in the morning. There was no urgency and there was no case for arrest since the case was not serious” stated Adv Frias.
The prosecution said there was an altercation between him and the minister and that he obstructed the minister’s vehicle. The prosecution also said that he gave bytes to media that the minister was corrupt among other things.
Bakshi's wife Rupinder Kaur said, “The matter was inflated and created. There was no basis for an FIR. The entire family had to go through harassment and this could have been avoided. Initially, there were two bailable sections, but then a non-bailable section was added by the police.”