Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court at Vasco has reserved its order on the bail application of Gautam Khattar, with the verdict scheduled to be pronounced on Saturday at 10 am. The court will also decide on the extension of his remand, which is set to expire on May 2.
Advocate Amey Prabhudessai, representing Khattar, informed that arguments from both sides have concluded after the defence filed the bail plea and the police submitted their reply. He argued that continued police custody of Khattar is not necessary as the alleged offence is already documented through video evidence.
Prabhudessai stated that the police have collected Khattar’s voice samples and forwarded them to forensic experts in Pune for analysis. He maintained that the case primarily hinges on whether the statements in question were made by Khattar and whether they can be conclusively proven. “In such cases, where the material is already recorded and documented, there is little justification for prolonged custody. The forensic analysis will determine whether the voice matches, which is central to the case,” he said.
He further contended that the custodial interrogation would not yield any additional benefit. The defence stressed that keeping the accused in custody under such circumstances serves no meaningful purpose.
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has opposed the bail plea, arguing that Khattar’s release at this stage could adversely affect public order and communal harmony. The prosecution submitted that the voice analysis report is still awaited and claimed that the speech attributed to Khattar was not spontaneous but delivered with deliberate intent to disturb peace in Goa.
The court is expected to deliver its order on both the bail application and the remand extension on Saturday morning, which will be crucial in determining the immediate course of the case.
