NT Reporter
Panaji
Porvorim police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Hemant Bhandari, Umesh Naik, Upendra Naik and Appa Naik, the four protesters linked to the Mirabag bandhara project, who had displayed placards in the gallery of the state legislative assembly on Friday.
They were placed under preventive arrest and later released on bail.
Police said the FIR was registered late Friday night based on a complaint filed by Secretary, Goa legislative assembly, Porvorim.
Referring to the complaint, the police said that the accused persons hatched a criminal conspiracy and in furtherance, with their common object, criminally trespassed into the visitors’ gallery of Goa assembly. They raised slogans and displayed posters thereby causing disturbance to the proceedings of the House and affecting the dignity and decorum of the legislative assembly, police said.
Further, the accused obstructed members of the Goa legislative assembly/public servants from discharging their public function, police said. They said that the FIR has been registered under various sections of BNS for criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, obstruction of public servants performing their official duties and using criminal force against public servants to deter them from discharging their duties.
It may be noted that the issue of the proposed bhandara project at Mirabag in Sanvordem triggered a storm in the assembly on Friday after Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai moved an adjournment motion demanding an immediate discussion on the matter.
The proceedings took a dramatic turn when a group of protesters seated in the visitors’ gallery displayed placards opposing the project.
Seeing the scene, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant became furious and sought arrest of the protesters. He sought an investigation to determine how the protesters managed to bring placards into the assembly complex.
