VASCO
Judge Shaik was hearing the application moved by Adv B P Natekar, representing Sardana, to release his belongings, including the regular passport.
As APP Devanand Korgaokar, who is representing the ATS, was busy in Court A of the JMFC court in Vasco, and since there were no more hearings, Judge Shaik retired to her chamber.
However, when Adv Korgaokar got relieved, he along with Adv Natekar visited Judge Shaik\'s chamber, where the matter was heard.
Speaking to The Goan, Adv Natekar said a plea was placed before Judge Shaik to release laptop, mobile phone, SIM cards, CDs and other 29 belongings of Sardana, including the regular passport.
Adv Natekar said except for regular passport, Judge Shaik released all the other belongings.
When asked for the reason for not releasing the regular passport, Adv Natekar said according to the conditional bail granted to Sardana, one of the conditions was that he was not allowed to leave the country without informing the law-enforcing agencies.
“Based on this condition, the Judge refused to release Sardana\'s regular passport,” said Adv Natekar.
When asked to justify the demand for the release of Sardana\'s regular passport given the condition imposed on him, Adv Natekar replied: “Sardana does not have any ID proof and the PAN card, which he has with him is very old and the photograph on it is of his younger days. The passport was required as an identity proof.”
APP Adv Korgaokar said that since the belongings were not required by ATS, Judge Shaik allowed the ATS to release them.
“We objected to the release of the regular passport, as Sardana could misuse it and leave the country without informing the agencies concerned,” said Adv Natekar.
Meanwhile, sources in ATS said though they managed to decode the password of the laptop, the emails are about 5 GB in space.
“We have decoded some emails, but it is difficult to understand the messages and there is a feeling that these messages are coded messages,” said an ATS source.
When asked whether it was possible to release the laptop and other electronic belongings of Sardana, the source replied: “We have copied all the messages and the contents of other electronic items and there is no need of the electronic gadgets and other belongings of Sardana.”
