Insult to St Francis Xavier: HC grants bail to ex-Goa RSS chief Velingkar

On Tuesday, 15 October, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court granted anticipatory bail to former state RSS chief Subhash Velingkar in a case of hurting religious sentiments with his statement about St Francis Xavier.

The single bench of Justice B.P. Deshpande, who had granted partial relief to Velingkar on 10 October, disposed of the main petition for anticipatory bail and five other intervention petitions filed by aggrieved parties.

The Bicholim police registered a case against the former RSS leader on October 6 for hurting religious sentiments following a barrage of complaints against him at different police stations in the state.

The police had taken cognisance of the complaint filed by AAP MLA Cruz Silva, based on which a first information report (FIR) was registered.

Advocate Amit Palekar, who represented AAP MLA Silva through an intervention petition before the high court, on Tuesday said that notices were issued to Velingkar under section 35 (right of private defence of the body and property) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, which he complied with by appearing before the investigating officer on 10 and 11 October.

Talking to reporters outside the court, Palekar said since Velingkar complied with the notices, the public prosecutor also submitted before the bench that his arrest was not required.

"So, as per the law, the high court has concluded that the main application (for anticipatory bail) and all the intervention petitions are disposed of," he said.

During the hearing, Palekar said Velingkar's lawyer had also pleaded that the statements made on the merit of the case by the additional district and sessions court, which had refused the anticipatory bail October 8, be expunged.

The lawyer said that the judge expunged certain comments the lower court made in its judgment.

Velingkar's statement on St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa, sparked state-wide protests on 6 October.

The main protest was held in Margao town, where a highway was blocked for the entire day, with protesters demanding his arrest.

The Holy Relics of St Francis Xavier are preserved at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa.