PANAJI: In a setback to the crime branch, the district sessions court has rejected its application to cancel the anticipatory bail granted to activist Manoj Parab. The crime branch stated that Parab violated the terms and condition in the bail order by giving a speech at Valpoi and instigating the public against the IIT project.
The court held that the submissions by the public prosecutor “are not supported by any documentary evidence. There is no mention in the application as to which of the evidence is being tampered by the respondent. Therefore, anticipatory bail cannot be cancelled on this ground,” the court held.
The court had granted anticipatory bail to anti-IIT protesters after it found that the police applied Section 307 of attempt to murder without spelling out whom the protesters wanted to murder. The prosecution argued that the respondent was directed not to tamper with the evidence, in spite of which he continued addressing the public on the issue.
To the crime branch’s submission that Parab, who is president of Revolutionary Goans, made a speech provoking Valpoi residents, the court stated that “there is no material evidence to show that any such speech was made by the respondent before the public. Therefore, anticipatory bail cannot be cancelled on this ground”.
Sessions Judge Irshad Agha observed that that the crime branch’s application “does not give correct facts as to in what manner the respondent has committed similar offence”. Senior counsel Carlos Ferreira representing Parab stated that “nobody is restrained from giving speech unless they are against the interest of the nation”.