BJP Govt 'targeting' INDIA bloc leaders, alleges Congress

Panaji: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Patkar has come down heavily on the BJP government over the arrest of AAP Goa president Amit Palekar in Mercedes accident case and alleged that it is a "desperate attempt by the BJP government in the state to target the INDIA bloc leaders".

"We condemn the brutal act of @BJP4Goa Government of targeting opposition party leader @AmitPalekar10 His unlawful arrest shows the failure of @Goapolice1091 department in the Banastari accident case. This is a desperate attempt to target the INDIA alliance leaders. #INDIAAlliance," Patkar posted on X.

Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has said that the most primary task of the Crime Branch investigating the horrifying Banastari accident is to gather impeccable evidence to ensure conviction of the accused.

"With the focus of the Crime Branch turning to alekar from the start itself, it is natural to have doubts on the objectives and outcome of investigations," Alemao said.

Meanwhile, a local court on Thursday evening granted interim bail to Palekar.

Palekar, the party's Chief Minister’s face during the 2022 Assembly election, was arrested under Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC on Thursday afternoon. Sources informed that there are charges against him that he allegedly attempted to mislead police by planting a dummy car driver to save the owner from getting arrested after an accident took place.

On August 6, three persons were killed and three others sustained critical injuries after a speeding Mercedes rammed into three cars and two two-wheelers while heading towards Panaji on the Banastari bridge in Ponda taluka, around 17 km from here.

After the accident, the people present at the site told reporters that a woman was driving the car.

However, the police had arrested Paresh Sinai Sawardekar (48) -- husband of the woman Meghana Sawardekar. Later, the court granted conditional bail to the couple.