Issue summons to appear on Tuesday as well; Palekar alleges he was treated like an accused, warns police of judicial recourse
AAP State President Amit Palekar threatens to walk out of the Old Goa police station over the prolonged interrogation.
Photo Credits: Manuel Vaz
OLD GOA
Even as AAP State President Amit Palekar was interrogated for around five hours over a video release of land grab accused Suleman Siddiqui Khan, the Old Goa police have issued another summon to Palekar to appear tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11 am.
Later speaking to reporters, Palekar slammed the police for treating him like an accused and warned the police that he won't hesitate to approach the judiciary for an independent probe in the case.
"I have been issued another summon to appear tomorrow at 11 am and the police is harassing me even though I am a witness. I am treated like an accused as a witness cannot be interrogated and the statement has to be voluntarily," Palekar informed.
"A witness has to give voluntary statement which does not have sanctity otherwise. Today, they were interrogating me as if I was an accused. I am warning the police department not to bow down to pressure otherwise I will hold each one responsible personally. I will take judicial recourse and see to it that the government and the police are taken to task. This has become very personal now," Palekar stated.
"At least 200 questions were prepared. But I can't be interrogated as I am a witness and not an accused.”
"The IO was constantly going out to get directives from the higher-ups and the investigation was not independent. I know the IO has his hands tied and probably the accused Suleiman is told to implicate me in this case in lieu of some goodies.”
Palekar then informed that he came to know that the accused Suleiman will be brought to Goa.
"Tomorrow probably they will coax the accused to give statement against me so that I am implicated in the case,” said Palekar.
"But I will not bow down to pressure as this is too much. If the government has the guts let them try to make me a scapegoat in this case. I will see to it that there is judicial intervention and the culprits are brought to book, and we are not victimised.”
"I am consulting my legal team and will approach the High Court to investigate this incident in detail by an independent agency. There is need of independent investigation as the allegations made are serious and that too against the deputy speaker, SP Crime, DySP," Palekar said.
He then stated that he has assisted the police in getting the accused Suleiman arrested by providing them the video but now he himself is harassed.
"In the future, public won't come forward to help the police as the thought of getting harassed will be in their mind," Palekar opined, while adding that the entire episode is to forge evidence against him and get him arrested.
"The police need not do all this drama. If they want to arrest me, they should go ahead. The police is trying to cover up their lapses and also cover up the crime of the BJP leaders who are involved in land grab scam. This investigation is controlled by BJP," Palekar alleged
"The persons mentioned in the first video have never been summoned but we are being harassed for releasing the video to the public," Palekar added.
Speaking on the latest video of Suleiman, Palekar said, "The latest video in which Suleiman makes accusations against me, it is clearly seen that the accused is reading a statement as he has worn a reading glass. It can be clearly made out that the accused is told to read the statement.”
Palekar then demanded that those who released the latest video of Suleiman should also be investigated.
"As we are being investigated for releasing the first video to the public, the one who released the latest video should also be investigated," he demanded.
