Narvekar gets conditional bail

Sandesh Prabhudesai

The lower court Wednesday granted conditional bail to former Goa deputy chief minister and Goa Cricket Association president Dayanand Narvekar in the bogus tickets case, keeping in line with the high court's anticipatory bail order.

After being arrested on Monday, Narvekar was remanded to custody for a day on Tuesday, pending a final hearing of his bail application.

Narvekar has been charged with masterminding the bogus tickets racket in the one-day international between India and Australia, in Goa on April 6.

Narvekar, who is a legislator, plans to file a contempt petition against the police and those who ordered his arrest.

While granting him bail, Margao Judicial Magistrate First Class Ashley Noronha imposed similar conditions to those laid down by the high court in its order, on April 26, granting Narvekar anticipatory bail for a month.

The conditions will be in force for two months or till the police files its chargesheet, whichever is earlier. They include debarring him from participating in any activity or financial transaction of the cricket association, surrendering his passport, taking police permission before leaving Goa and making himself available for interrogation.

Narvekar's counsel argued that though the high court had granted bail only for a month, the findings of the upper court still exist.

Speaking from hospital, Narvekar said his arrest was a clear case of contempt, since the Supreme Court had disposed the petition filed by the police, without an order against the high court order, which stated that he was not required for custodial interrogation.

"There is no question of contempt since the apex court had disposed of the petition without going into the merits of it, as the period of a month granted for the anticipatory bail is over," quipped DIG of Police Karnal Singh.

The police are examining the possibility of challenging the lower court order, while seeking further remand for Narvekar's custodial interrogation. They stopped interrogating him since the high court had granted him anticipatory bail.

Meanwhile, GCA secretary Vinod Phadke, allegedly a close accomplice of Narvekar, is still evading arrest. Both were granted interim bail last month.

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