Digamber Kamat seems to have gained one more lifeline with the relief from the high court till the 16th September, the next date for the argument over the matter of anticipatory bail application that had been challenged by the crime branch of Goa Police. Once the argument starts on 16th evening as per the laid down format of high court of Goa it may continue after the Ganesha holidays which is starting on 17th September, while the order on the bail application of Alemao will be pronounced by the High Court on Monday 14th September at 2.30pm which will fix the fate of former PWD minister who is still in police custody in the Louis Berger bribery case.
Considering that High Court will justify the case of Churchill Alemao in the light of judgment passed by the lower courts in Kamat’s anticipatory bail matter, the chances are that, Alemao may be released on the bail but that only time will tell. Meanwhile, bail application filed by the former PWD minister Churchill Alemao on 9th September in the high court of Bombay at Goa has reserved its order till the 14th September 2015.
The sources have revealed that the prosecution has opposed the bail and alleged that law of parity does not apply to Alemao. Alemao’s lawyer had argued that his client is entitled to bail as another co-accused and former chief minister Digambar Kamat was granted anticipatory bail. Churchill has been in custody since August 5. Meanwhile, S R Rivankar who appeared on behalf of crime branch told the high court said that the facts of the two cases involving Kamat and Alemao are not similar. He also submitted more documentary evidences to make his point stronger while alleging that Alemao was the chief conspirator in the case and the Parallels cannot be drawn between the two cases.
In the case of Kamat, CBI has challenged his bail application and the court order which granted the anticipatory bail to Kamat. While arguing in the Kamat matter before the Bombay high court Rivonkar has pressed for the Kamat’s custody for the purpose of interrogation.
Although both the cases appears to be almost similar in the nature and accused is supposed to be treated on a similar merits but according to the prosecution Churchill’s offense is more serious than that of Kamat. According to the prosecution Churchill had violated the JICA guidelines by appointing himself as the chairman of state level monitoring committee for the JICA project. Prosecution also tried to establish the violation was done with the intention of illegal gratification, and hence “the measures applied for Kamat cannot applied to the Churchill as it is an economic offence.” said the prosecution. While advocate Ashok Mundargi, appearing on behalf of Alemao, in his argument last week said allegations leveled against the applicant has no meaning and the prosecution was misleading the court.
Based on the records Kamat has been successful in evading the arrest from 5th August 2015 while at the same time his cabinet colleague former PWD minister was arrested on parallel charges which continues till date. It is to be recalled that both of them are charged to be the main co-conspirators in the bribery case. In this case, accept the Kamat, rest all the accused irrespective of their level of involvement had been arrested by the police. The question here is why there is special treatment to one of the accused? What as a reader you think about this case? What needs to be done in this case? Is there someone trying to protect one of the accused as a special case? Please do leave your comments and suggestions n this issue.
Source: Various Sources
Edited by: Goa Prism News Desk
