PANAJI
In a big blow to Old Goa police, who were relying on the custody of dismissed IRB constable Amit Naik to trace absconding fraudster Suleman Siddique Khan, the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court granted Naik conditional bail. The order was pronounced on Saturday after hearing arguments into the plea over the past two days.
Shortly after this order, Hajaratasab Bavannavar alias Hazrat Ali, charged with allegedly harbouring Suleman in Hubballi and subsequently arrested on December 14, applied for bail before the same court. His plea will be heard on Monday.
During arguments on Friday, the prosecution urged the JMFC to allow Naik’s judicial custody citing delays in his interrogation due to his suicide attempt while in custody.
Naik, accused of facilitating the escape of Suleman on December 13 from the lockup at Crime Branch, Ribandar, was admitted to GMC for three days after the suicide attempt. Upon discharge on December 17, he was advised to consult the IPHB over his mental and physical health concerns.
All charges are bailable against Amit Naik: CJM
PANAJI: The JMFC court observed that all sections applied against accused Amit Naik are bailable, in what comes even as the Old Goa police deleted one section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) from the FIR and added Sec 259(b), which is also bailable.
The order further stated that considering the IO’s submissions, all the offences for which the accused has been booked, including under Sec 259(b) of the BNS 2023, appear to be bailable in nature. As such, the court ruled that granting bail to the accused is his right. “With respect to the investigation of the present case, it is open to the investigating agency to summon the accused to the police station by issuing a notice under Sec 35(3) of the BNS as and when required for investigative purposes,” the order noted.
