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MARGAO: The South Goa Sessions Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to former PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao in the Varca road digging case, with the court directing the police to release him on bail of Rs 5,000 with one identical surety in the event of arrest.
The anticipatory bail plea was granted by Additional Sessions Judge, Desmond D’Costa, after the Colva police submitted that a prior notice of 72 hours will be served on Churchill if he is required to be arrested, informed Adv Antonio Clovis Da Costa.
In his reply to the bail plea, Colva PSI Tulshidas Naik said investigation into the case is at a preliminary stage, adding that Churchill is not required to be arrested at this stage and hence prayed for dismissal of the bail application.
Churchill’s lawyer, Adv Radharao Gracias later told newsmen at a media conference that the police literally admitted in the court there’s no offense against Churchill, saying that investigations are at a preliminary stage. “The police submission in the court that they will give 72 hour notice to Churchill if they want to arrest him is a welcome sign. It is a good precedent and hoped that the police will give similar benefit to the common man,” he added.
Replying to a question, he said his client Churchill has not committed the office of causing damage to a public road. “There’s no road at all. There’s only a foot access left for Churchill’s neighbour, which has not been interfered till date,” he added.
…says police harassed him
MARGAO: Saying that the government is afraid that he might be the Congress candidate for the coming Lok Sabha polls, former PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao accused the police for harassing him by foisting false cases in the Varca road digging case and the bank cheating case.
Briefing newsmen after the South Goa sessions Court granted him anticipatory bail in the Varca road digging case, Alemao said that he was called as a witness in the PWD official Patkar case. “The Anti-Corruption Bureau did not summon me, but only a letter was sent to me as a witness in the Patkar case,” he maintained.
Asserting that he is not involved in the bank cheating case, Churchill demanded to know how a customer can be hauled up for misdeeds, if any, of a bank. And he questioned the rational behind the Colva police decision to call him and assist the police in the murder of a Chennai tourist at Colva. “How the police can call me to record my statement when I have called for a thorough investigation into the murder case,” he said.
Saying that he fears only God and no one else on earth, Alemao said that he has full faith that the judiciary would do justice to him.
