PANAJI
YouTuber and self-styled spiritual speaker Gautam Khattar has been brought to Goa today by a team of the Crime Branch (CB) that travelled to Kullu on Friday night to take his custody.
The accused of hate speech will be produced before a magistrate for police remand.
The sleuths landed at Manohar International Airport, Mopa from where he was taken to the CB office, Ribandar where arrest formalities are underway.
Police force has been deployed in and around the premises for security reasons, amid apprehensions that locals who demanded his arrest would storm the office.
Khattar was on Friday detained by Himachal Pradesh Police in Kullu and later handed over to Goa CB officials. The sleuths then secured his transit remand on Saturday and flew to Goa this morning.
Khattar was wanted by Goa Police for allegedly making offensive remarks against St Francis Xavier during an event in Vasco over a week ago.
The controversy had triggered widespread protests across Goa, with citizens filing complaints at multiple police stations and demanding his immediate arrest and public apology. Following mounting public pressure, the case was transferred to CB, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and DGP Alok Kumar personally monitoring developments.
As public anger intensified, Vasco police and CB officials launched a search operation after Khattar allegedly went into hiding.
He was eventually traced and detained in the Kullu.
Earlier this week, Madhav Khattar, brother of the prime accused, was arrested and remanded to four days’ police custody by a Vasco court. Madhav has been instrumental in preparing Gautam's speech and had been handling his professional routine.
