Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday refused to grant interim relief from arrest to Dhananjay Bhave, a priest of Mangueshi Temple accused of molestation.
The HC adjourned the hearing on the appeal filed against the order dismissing both the anticipatory bail applications filed by Bhave to August 14 and issued notices to the State government while granting liberty to the victims to intervene in the matter.
The public prosecutor on behalf of Ponda police had sought time to file its say. Granting the prosecution a week, the HC issued notices to the State government and Ponda police.
Additional Sessions Judge Bela Naik had dismissed the two anticipatory bail applications filed by Bhave against whom two FIRs have been registered by Ponda police for allegedly molesting two girls in the temple on different occasions.
The case pertains to two Goan origin girls – one residing in Mumbai while the other in the US – who had complained to Ponda police that they were molested by the accused when they had visited Mangueshi temple.
