PANAJI
A retired employee of the Town and Country Planning Department, accused of manipulating his date of birth, has managed to secure anticipatory bail by the Additional Sessions Court.
The Court, in its order, has observed that the offense does not require custodial interrogation while granting relief to retired head clerk Sandesh Naik.
“The birth certificate claimed to be fake can be obtained from the concerned department without the arrest of the applicant. The custody is also sought on the ground that the applicant may flee from India as he is now retired from his job and may escape the trial before the Court and may also influence or threaten the witnesses in this said case. This grievance of the investigating officer can be also well met with conditions but since the offense does not require custodial interrogation I am inclined to grant pre-arrest bail to the applicant,” Judge Sharmila Patil said in her verdict on Monday.
Among a set of conditions, the accused is directed to remain present before the Panaji police once every month till the case charge sheet is filed.
The Panaji police, on September 30, registered an offense under sections 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using a forged document as genuine) and 420 (cheating) of IPC based on a complaint filed by Chief Town Planner (ADM) TCP Rajesh Naik.
