After absconding for almost two months, senior journalist Rupesh Samant has finally surrendered in front of Goa police. According to sources, his surrender has come in the backdrop of losing the battle in the court. His final attempt in the high court was perhaps his last resort to evade the arrest but with the high court rejecting his anticipatory bail made it clear that he will not be able to escape from the clutches of law for long. After losing the battle in the lower court, Rupesh appointed the noted Mumbai-based lawyer Shirish Gupte to plead on his behalf in the high court but judge passed the order against his favour. The Goa police have confirmed the news of his arrest.
It may be recalled that Rupesh Samant a senior journalist has been facing a sexual harassment and molestation charges were absconding since the month of September. Samant has been accused of sexually exploiting the woman employees working in the similar organization and getting physically engaged with them under the false promise of getting married to them. According to the sources in police, he had been booked under section 354 and 354A which are non-bailable and cognizable in nature. Samant was absconding since 25th September 2015 after the first was filed against him in the court and he did not respond to any summons out of total 8 summons issued to him by Panaji police. Samant is presently facing 4 complaints filed against him by five lady journalist employees in various types of sexual harassments.
Police tried all kind of tactics to bring him under control by issuing a lookout notice and a non-bailable warrant, but Rupesh did not succumb to any of those threats and finally after the rejection of his application in the high court police decided to proceed with an attachment of his properties if he does not surrender. Following the various cases against Rupesh his employee Herald Group had also disowned him and GUJ (The Goa Union of Journalists) also started a massive movement against him in Goa.
After his surrender today he was officially arrested and put behind the bars till Tuesday when he will be presented before the JMFC for further remand, meanwhile the lawyer of Rupesh told the media that they will also apply for the bail, claiming that Rupesh has been framed and he is innocent and that he will be disclosing the names of the people who have framed him in front of the police only.
Rupesh seems to handle his case very tactfully with appointing fleet of lawyers from Goa and Mumbai who were appeared and appearing for him in various cases involving the outraging the modesty of a woman. According to the statement given by his lawyer in front of media, Rupesh is innocent (which every lawyer claims in the favour of his client) and that he has been framed, though he failed to disclose who has framed him and why. The GUJ (The Goa Union of Journalists) has initiated the big movement against Rupesh and also expelled him from the union. It is very difficult to find out who is telling the truth and who is lying in this case. Only the fair and transparent investigation will bring this case to an ethical end. As a reader what is your opinion? Do you think that Rupesh has been framed as claimed by his lawyer? Or he is guilty? Are those four victims are telling lies? What about all the evidence presented by the victims while filing the FIRs? Rupesh being a journalist within his capacity can afford to appoint the team of lawyers from Goa and Mumbai? Please do leave your comments and suggestion on this issue.
Source: Various Sources
Edited by Goa Prism News Desk
