In a significant relief to Goa Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state president Amit Palekar, the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday overturned a sessions court order that had cancelled his bail in connection with a road accident that claimed three lives last August.
On August 16, the crime branch of Goa had sought the cancellation of Palekar’s bail on grounds that he traveled abroad without prior court permission. The Additional Sessions Judge in Panaji (sitting at Ponda) had cancelled his bail on Monday, citing a violation of the bail condition which prohibited him from leaving the country without permission.
Palekar, speaking to the media after the High Court’s order, called the case a “political witch-hunt” for “speaking out against the government.” He stated that he had sought court permission to travel and expressed his confidence in the judiciary. “I had faith in the judiciary,” he remarked. “I remain committed to fighting for the people of Goa and exposing the government’s failures.”
Palekar criticized the crime branch, stating, “I do not know why the crime branch is so incompetent that they are not able to file a chargesheet in an accident case where I am a co-accused.” He added that within 20 minutes of the court’s order on Monday, the Goa police crime branch arrived at his residence to arrest him, which he alleged was done to “embarrass and humiliate” him.
Palekar further accused the state government of misusing the police and prosecution machinery to target the opposition, stating, “The police department, under this government, has become one of the most corrupt departments.”
He also clarified, “I was not absconding as claimed by the police. I was consulting my lawyer and filing an application before the High Court and returned home late that night.”
Palekar’s counsel, Nitin Sardessai, criticized the sessions court’s order, arguing that a violation of bail conditions does not automatically justify the cancellation of bail. “There must be an application of mind to determine whether such a violation affects the administration of justice or hampers the investigation. That was not even the prosecution’s case,” Sardessai said, describing the case as “political vendetta.”
The accident occurred on August 6 last year when a Mercedes car, driven by Shripad alias Paresh Sawardekar under the influence of alcohol, crashed into multiple vehicles at the Banastari bridge, resulting in three fatalities and severe injuries to three others. According to the police investigation, Palekar and others allegedly conspired to plant a dummy driver at the time of the accident to mislead the investigation. Palekar was arrested on August 31, 2023, for his alleged involvement in the conspiracy but was granted bail on September 4, 2023, under the condition that he would not leave India without court permission.
