Goa: Former RSS Chief Subhash Velingkar granted anticipatory bail by HC

Protesters blocking the road on Saturday. Pic/X

The Goa bench of Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Subhash Velinghar, former state RSS chief.

The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to former state RSS leader Subhash Velingkar in a case against him for reportedly hurting religious sentiments in a statement about St Francis Xavier, PTI reported.

The single bench of Justice B P Deshpande, who had given partial relief to Velingkar on October 10, disposed.

According to PTI, the primary petition for anticipatory bail and five additional intervention petitions submitted by aggrieved parties were dismissed by the single bench of Justice B P Deshpande, who had previously given Velingkar partial relief on October 10.

The Bicholim police filed a case against Velingkar on October 6 for hurting the religious sentiments after receiving a number of complaints against him at different police stations in the state, PTI reported.

The police had taken notice of the complaint filed by AAP MLA Cruz Silva, according to which a first information report (FIR) was registered.

Advocate Amit Palekar, who represented AAP MLA Silva through an intervention petition before the high court, on Tuesday said that Velingkar received notices under section 35 (right of private defence of the body and property) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which he complied with by appearing before the investigating officer on October 10 and October 11.

Palekar while talking to reporters outside the court said that since Velingkar adhered to the notices, the public prosecutor also submitted before the bench that his arrest was not necessary, PTI cited,

"So, as per the law, the high court has concluded that the main application (for anticipatory bail) and all the intervention petitions are disposed of," he said.

According to Palekar, Velingkar's lawyer also requested at the hearing that based on the case's merits, the remarks made by the additional district and sessions court, which had denied anticipatory bail on October 8, be removed based on the case's merits.

The lawyer said that the judge removed a few comments the lower court made in its judgment, PTI reported.

On October 6, state-wide protests rose up following Velingkar's statement on St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa.

The main protest demanding his arrest was held in Margao town, where one highway was blocked for the entire day, PTI reported.

The Holy Relics of St Francis Xavier are preserved at Old Goa's Basilica of Bom Jesus.

(With inputs from PTI)