Vasco: Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Pooja Desai of Vasco granted bail to YouTuber Gautam Khattar, who faces accusations of making derogatory remarks against St Francis Xavier. However, the court dismissed the defense argument that Khattar's arrest was illegal.
Court Rejects Illegal Arrest Plea
Defense advocate A Prabhudessai contended that Khattar's arrest was not legitimate, but the court disagreed. “The procedural safeguards under the BNNS cannot be used to defend an accused who intentionally evades the process of law. I find the plea of illegal arrest untenable,” observed JMFC Pooja Desai in the order. The court further stated, “The applicant’s evasion of the investigation warranted the state’s recourse to coercive action.”
Details of Arrest
After police failed to locate Khattar at his residence in Dehradun, he was apprehended in Himachal Pradesh on April 24 and formally arrested on April 25. The court noted that Khattar's past conduct necessitated imposing conditions to ensure he does not evade the law again or repeat the alleged offenses during the investigation.
Khattar's Statements After Bail
Following his release on bail, Khattar claimed that his brother Madhav’s arrest was illegal and asserted that he had no connection to the case. Meanwhile, Khattar faced criticism for his remarks against the media after his release.
Additional Information
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