Goa Police defend detention of seven CJP members before High Court, cite history of protests without permission

Representational image of a CJP protestor holding up a poster | Photo Credit: Reuters

The Goa Police on Tuesday defended before the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court the detention of seven Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) members during a protest at Azad Maidan in Panaji, citing the outfit’s history of protests without permission. The court, which had ordered their release on Sunday, adjourned the hearing till October 19.

On Sunday evening, a Bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar heard a plea moved by advocate Malisa Simoes challenging the detention of Afreen Shaikh, Jack Sukhija, Bupesh Bind, Aditya Parulekar, Listan Noronha, Shamino Fernandes and Milind Rane. The court noted an allegation that no order had been passed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) prohibiting any gathering at Azad Maidan or any part of it, and said the detention may not have been authorised. It noted that Executive Magistrate Dattaprasad Toraskar, who was at the site, had instructed the police to detain the seven for entering Azad Maidan.