MAPUSA
Arpora-Nagoa Sarpanch Roshan Redkar and suspended panchayat secretary Raghuveer Bagkar have been granted interim relief by the Additional District Sessions Court in Mapusa in the form of anticipatory bail. The application will be heard on Friday evening.
In a bid to avoid arrest in connection with the fire tragedy at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, which claimed 25 lives, Redkar and Bagkar had filed anticipatory bail applications in the court. The arguments on the applications were heard on Thursday evening.
Senior advocate Nitin Sardesai argued that his client, Sarpanch Roshan Redkar, has no direct connection with the fire incident at the nightclub. As sarpanch, he does not issue licences alone, and it is a joint decision of the panchayat, the advocate stated.
He argued that the panchayat had inspected the club upon finding that it had violated regulations and had issued instructions to demolish the encroachment. However, the Directorate of Panchayats had stayed the panchayat's order.
Advocate Raju Powlekar argued on behalf of Raghuveer Bagkar and presented his case in court.
After hearing the arguments of lawyers for both applicants, the court granted interim relief to Redkar and Bagkar and instructed the police to arrest them, if necessary, and to release them on bail.
Meanwhile, the accused arrested by police, Priyanshu Krishnakumar Thakur (Delhi), Rajveer Rudranath Singhania (Uttar Pradesh), and Vivek Chandrabhan Singh (Uttar Pradesh), have filed an application for bail in the court. A hearing on this application will be conducted on December 15.
