News Analysis India

Tag: Goa

  • Goa’s Curlies restaurant linked to Sonali Phogat’s death to be demolished soon over green rules violation

    By ANI

    PANAJI: The ‘Curlies’ restaurant in Goa where actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat was allegedly drugged will be demolished soon for violating coastal zone norms.

    The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday upheld the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority’s previous order to demolish the shack.

    Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority has ordered the closure of all commercial activity in the form of nightclubs, bars and restaurants being run by Edwin Nunes and Linet Nunes, both Curlies Restaurant and Night Club and guest house, St Michael Wado, Dando, Anjuna, Bardez-Goa.

    Earlier on Thursday, a local court granted conditional bail to owner of Curlies restaurant Edwin Nunes against a personal bail bond of Rs 30,000 and two sureties of Rs 15,000 each.

    Advocate Kamalakant Poulekar, lawyer of Edwin Nunes said Nunes cannot visit Curlies and needs to take permission before leaving Goa.

    Meeanwhile, the Goa Police on Sunday visited various locations in the alleged murder case of BJP politician Sonali Phogat in Haryana’s Hisar district.

    “Teams went to various places, as per allegations levelled by the late actor’s brother Rinku including property and other issues. Our team is going to all those places, speaking with local witnesses and trying to get information which may help us reach a conclusion,” informed Goa Director General of Police Jaspal Singh.

    Sonali Phogat was declared dead at the St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa on August 23. A post-mortem report revealed blunt force injury on her body, following which the Goa Police registered a murder case.

    On Friday, Goa Police visited Phogat’s Sant Nagar residence in Haryana’s Hisar district and seized three diaries. Sonali’s bedroom, wardrobe, and password-protected locker were inspected by the police search team. The police also sealed the locker at Sonali Phogat’s residence. Phogat’s PA and his associate were arrested after police accessed the CCTV footage in which the trio were seen partying at a club.

    Expressing dissatisfaction over the probe by the Goa Police into the death case of Sonali Phogat, her family will approach the Goa High Court demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the matter.

    Sonali Phogat’s family had met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in connection with the case and had demanded a CBI probe. The Chief Minister had assured of the CBI investigation. However, being dissatisfied with the ongoing investigation, the family has decided to go to Goa High Court with their demand.

    Speaking to ANI, Vikas Singh, Sonali Phogat’s nephew, who is also an advocate in his family said that they have written to Chief Justice of India UU Lalit for a CBI inquiry, and will approach the Goa High Court with a writ petition by Friday if they are not satisfied with the answer of the top court.

    Earlier, Goa Police had said that Sonali Phogat was forcibly drugged by her two associates who were arrested after being named as accused in the case.

    Haryana Police detained a man after the family accused him of taking a laptop and mobile from the farmhouse of the deceased BJP leader. Haryana Police has recovered the items following which the questioning is underway.

    Sonali Phogat who rose to fame with her TikTok videos, contested the 2019 Haryana election as a BJP candidate but lost to then Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi (he has since joined the BJP). She also appeared in the reality show Bigg Boss in 2020. 

    PANAJI: The ‘Curlies’ restaurant in Goa where actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat was allegedly drugged will be demolished soon for violating coastal zone norms.

    The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday upheld the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority’s previous order to demolish the shack.

    Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority has ordered the closure of all commercial activity in the form of nightclubs, bars and restaurants being run by Edwin Nunes and Linet Nunes, both Curlies Restaurant and Night Club and guest house, St Michael Wado, Dando, Anjuna, Bardez-Goa.

    Earlier on Thursday, a local court granted conditional bail to owner of Curlies restaurant Edwin Nunes against a personal bail bond of Rs 30,000 and two sureties of Rs 15,000 each.

    Advocate Kamalakant Poulekar, lawyer of Edwin Nunes said Nunes cannot visit Curlies and needs to take permission before leaving Goa.

    Meeanwhile, the Goa Police on Sunday visited various locations in the alleged murder case of BJP politician Sonali Phogat in Haryana’s Hisar district.

    “Teams went to various places, as per allegations levelled by the late actor’s brother Rinku including property and other issues. Our team is going to all those places, speaking with local witnesses and trying to get information which may help us reach a conclusion,” informed Goa Director General of Police Jaspal Singh.

    Sonali Phogat was declared dead at the St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa on August 23. A post-mortem report revealed blunt force injury on her body, following which the Goa Police registered a murder case.

    On Friday, Goa Police visited Phogat’s Sant Nagar residence in Haryana’s Hisar district and seized three diaries. Sonali’s bedroom, wardrobe, and password-protected locker were inspected by the police search team. The police also sealed the locker at Sonali Phogat’s residence. Phogat’s PA and his associate were arrested after police accessed the CCTV footage in which the trio were seen partying at a club.

    Expressing dissatisfaction over the probe by the Goa Police into the death case of Sonali Phogat, her family will approach the Goa High Court demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the matter.

    Sonali Phogat’s family had met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in connection with the case and had demanded a CBI probe. The Chief Minister had assured of the CBI investigation. However, being dissatisfied with the ongoing investigation, the family has decided to go to Goa High Court with their demand.

    Speaking to ANI, Vikas Singh, Sonali Phogat’s nephew, who is also an advocate in his family said that they have written to Chief Justice of India UU Lalit for a CBI inquiry, and will approach the Goa High Court with a writ petition by Friday if they are not satisfied with the answer of the top court.

    Earlier, Goa Police had said that Sonali Phogat was forcibly drugged by her two associates who were arrested after being named as accused in the case.

    Haryana Police detained a man after the family accused him of taking a laptop and mobile from the farmhouse of the deceased BJP leader. Haryana Police has recovered the items following which the questioning is underway.

    Sonali Phogat who rose to fame with her TikTok videos, contested the 2019 Haryana election as a BJP candidate but lost to then Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi (he has since joined the BJP). She also appeared in the reality show Bigg Boss in 2020. 

  • Sonali Phogat was administered methamphetamine drugs by accused: Goa police 

    Deputy Superintendent of Police Jivba Dalvi said leftovers from the drugs which were given to her at Curlies Restaurant at Anjuna have been seized from the restaurant's washroom.

  • Phogat ‘murder’: ‘Curlies’ restaurant at Goa’s Anjuna beach back in limelight after 14 years 

    By PTI

    PANAJI: The restaurant on Goa’s famous Anjuna beach, where Haryana BJP leader Sonali Phogat had visited before coming back to her hotel and complaining of uneasiness, was in the limelight 14 years ago when a British teenager had died.

    Sonali Phogat (42) had visited ‘Curlies’ restaurant on Monday night and was brought dead to the St Anthony Hospital in Anjuna in North Goa district from her hotel on August 23 morning.

    Her death earlier suspected to have been caused by a heart attack, is now being treated as a murder and two of her associates have been arrested by the Anjuna police.

    The restaurant had hit the headlines during investigations into the death of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling in 2008.

    The mother of Keeling had then claimed her daughter said she had visited ‘Curlies’ just before coming to the place where she was sexually assaulted and left to die on the beach.

    “From the evidence on record it appeared that Scarlett Keeling was taken to Curlies prior to her arrival at the Lui’s Shack where she finally died,” advocate Vikram Varma, a lawyer who represented the deceased’s mother, Fiona Mackeown, told PTI on Thursday.

    ALSO READ | Injuries on Sonali Phogat’s body, says post-mortem report; murder charge pressed against two associates

    He said the evidence also revealed she could have already been intoxicated with dangerous narcotics prior to arriving at Lui’s Shack. Now, the restaurant is again in news following the death of Sonali Phogat, who hailed from Hisar in Haryana and found fame on TikTok, the popular video hosting service now banned in India.

    Sonali Phogat’s nephew Mohinder Phogat has claimed she was taken to Curlies by the two arrested accused, Sudhir Sagwan and Sukhwinder Wasi, on a fateful night.

    “She was told there is a man from Haryana who is working in Curlies whom they wanted to meet,” he said.

    “Mohinder Phogat said Sonali Phogat went straight to her hotel room from Curlies before being taken to the hospital the next morning. After arriving at the hotel, the 42-year-old Haryana politician had complained of uneasiness,” he said.

    When contacted, the owner of Curlies, Edwin Nunes, confirmed Sonali Phogat had come to his restaurant along with others.

    “No one from our staff knew them. They were like normal customers for us,” he said.

    Nunes said he was questioned by the Goa police over Sonali Phogat’s presence at his restaurant after her death.

    “I have told the police they were just like any other customers to us,” he added.

    Sonali Phogat arrived in Goa on August 22 accompanied by her associates Sudhir Sagwan and Sukhwinder Wasi.

    The Goa Police on Thursday pressed a charge of murder against the two associates after a post-mortem report mentioned there were “multiple blunt force injuries” on the body of Sonali Phogat.

    PANAJI: The restaurant on Goa’s famous Anjuna beach, where Haryana BJP leader Sonali Phogat had visited before coming back to her hotel and complaining of uneasiness, was in the limelight 14 years ago when a British teenager had died.

    Sonali Phogat (42) had visited ‘Curlies’ restaurant on Monday night and was brought dead to the St Anthony Hospital in Anjuna in North Goa district from her hotel on August 23 morning.

    Her death earlier suspected to have been caused by a heart attack, is now being treated as a murder and two of her associates have been arrested by the Anjuna police.

    The restaurant had hit the headlines during investigations into the death of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling in 2008.

    The mother of Keeling had then claimed her daughter said she had visited ‘Curlies’ just before coming to the place where she was sexually assaulted and left to die on the beach.

    “From the evidence on record it appeared that Scarlett Keeling was taken to Curlies prior to her arrival at the Lui’s Shack where she finally died,” advocate Vikram Varma, a lawyer who represented the deceased’s mother, Fiona Mackeown, told PTI on Thursday.

    ALSO READ | Injuries on Sonali Phogat’s body, says post-mortem report; murder charge pressed against two associates

    He said the evidence also revealed she could have already been intoxicated with dangerous narcotics prior to arriving at Lui’s Shack. Now, the restaurant is again in news following the death of Sonali Phogat, who hailed from Hisar in Haryana and found fame on TikTok, the popular video hosting service now banned in India.

    Sonali Phogat’s nephew Mohinder Phogat has claimed she was taken to Curlies by the two arrested accused, Sudhir Sagwan and Sukhwinder Wasi, on a fateful night.

    “She was told there is a man from Haryana who is working in Curlies whom they wanted to meet,” he said.

    “Mohinder Phogat said Sonali Phogat went straight to her hotel room from Curlies before being taken to the hospital the next morning. After arriving at the hotel, the 42-year-old Haryana politician had complained of uneasiness,” he said.

    When contacted, the owner of Curlies, Edwin Nunes, confirmed Sonali Phogat had come to his restaurant along with others.

    “No one from our staff knew them. They were like normal customers for us,” he said.

    Nunes said he was questioned by the Goa police over Sonali Phogat’s presence at his restaurant after her death.

    “I have told the police they were just like any other customers to us,” he added.

    Sonali Phogat arrived in Goa on August 22 accompanied by her associates Sudhir Sagwan and Sukhwinder Wasi.

    The Goa Police on Thursday pressed a charge of murder against the two associates after a post-mortem report mentioned there were “multiple blunt force injuries” on the body of Sonali Phogat.

  • Crisis in Goa Congress: Party must introspect, says Digambar Kamat

    Express News Service

    BENGALURUPANAJI: The BJP, which attempted to poach more Congress legislators for a more complete Operation Lotus in Goa, appears to have stalled its plan. The Congress, on its part, was seeking to take serious disciplinary action against its senior leader Digambar Kamat, who in a late night statement hit out at his party.

    “I don’t know what crisis is going on in the Congress party. Today I saw his (Dinesh Gundu Rao) video and was shocked, surprised to see the way he was talking. If I wanted to take any action, I had a lot of opportunities in 2017 and 2022,” Kamat said.

    “I stayed with the party in 2017, when we had a clear mandate, still the party didn’t ask me whether I can form the government, and we lost the opportunity. Now, this is the reward I get. They’re filing a disqualification petition against me for anti-party activities. I don’t understand what are anti-parties activities? The party should find out who is doing this. I worked for the party with sincerity. Congress has to do a lot of introspection as we are losing many elections, and leaders are leaving us.’’

    Goa state incharge general secretary Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “The truth is out there. Every MLA in the Congress knows the truth. He was himself saying he had been humiliated, no one knows from what angle he was humiliated.’’

    Congress’ pre-poll ally Goa Forward Party leader Vijay Sardesai said, “BJP has the support of 25 MLAs. They are determined to break up the opposition and eradicate all opposition in the assembly, so they can have autocracy. We are seeing an alliance of an aggressive BJP with a section of Congress that is determined to betray the will of the people. Let the people down when they need help. Half of Goa is is under floods, there is rising unemployment, rising prices, and they are choosing to do this now.’’  All this is happening when Goa assembly is in session. Sources said ‘Operation Kamal’ is not over, and some leaders are still trying to poach more Congress MLAs with plum offers.

  • Maharashtra crisis: Rebel leader Eknath Shinde leaves for Mumbai to meet Governor

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde left Goa for Mumbai on Thursday afternoon, where he is scheduled to meet Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

    Shinde and other rebel MLAs, who arrived in Goa on Wednesday night from Guwahati, stayed at a resort at Dona Paula near here.

    While other MLAs continued to be at the resort, Shinde stepped out amid a tight police security around 12.20 pm.

    ALSO READ: Floor test cancelled as Uddhav Thackeray resigns; Maharashtra Assembly special session postponed

    “I am going to Mumbai to meet the Maharashtra Governor. All other MLAs are staying in Goa at present,” Shinde told reporters outside the resort.

    Party sources said that Shinde is also likely to meet senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is expected to make a comeback as chief minister.

    ALSO READ: Supreme setback floors Thackeray government

    On Wednesday night, Uddhav Thackeray resigned as Maharashtra chief minister, which paved the way for the return of the BJP to power. The rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by Shinde are likely to support the BJP to form a government.

    ALSO WATCH:

  • Temples destroyed in past should be rebuilt: Goa CM Sawant 

    “In every village, there are a couple of temples. We have to take people from the beach to the temple,” Sawant said, adding his government is pushing for “cultural tourism”.

  • Casino industry lure: Other states want to copy Goa’s ‘original’ sin, says Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho

    By IANS

    PANAJI: Other Indian states now want to commit the same sin Goa committed and are trying to replicate a casino industry, because it is revenue earning, state Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho has said, adding that when one can gamble openly in a casino, there is no need to do it in hiding.

    “Other states are also trying it. That means what Goa did in the past and which they thought was a big sin, now other states also want to commit the same sin because it is earning revenue. Everybody gambles. Why gamble in hiding, do it openly in the casino,” Godinho told reporters here.

    The Transport Minister also said that the casino industry is intrinsically linked to the state’s tourism sector and was responsible for a significant spill over effect on the other sectors.

    “As you know today in Goa, the casino industry has become one of the main revenue earners. Your flights are coming full, so it is income for the airlines, your hotels are going full, your taxi fellows are able to hire the taxis for people who come to naturally gamble and enjoy entertainment part of it on these casino ships,” Godinho said.

    “I consider it as an integral part as far as tourism is concerned. Maybe people used to view it differently in the past, but now there are other states vying to do similar things. I know at least another two states which are now trying to put up casinos, because they have seen in Goa how the economic wheels are running related to (the) tourism industry with casinos becoming a reality,” the Goa Minister also said.

    The state has around six operational offshore casinos parked in the Mandovi river off Panaji, while around 10 onshore casinos function from the numerous resorts dotting the state.

  • Goa will be developed as India’s ‘tourism capital’: CM Pramod Sawant

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said his government is developing infrastructure in such a way that the coastal state will emerge as the country’s “tourism capital” going forward and sought investment in the key sector through public-private partnership (PPP) model.

    Speaking at Times Network’s India Economic Conclave 2022 here on the topic “How the States are Driving Aatmanirbhar Agenda?”, he said different aspects of tourism – adventure, medical, cultural and spiritual – are being given a fillip.

    “We are asking people to invest under PPP model, public-private partnership. We have activated our PPP cell for those who want to invest in the tourism sector,” said Sawant, who won a second term in office last month following the BJP’s victory in Assembly polls in the coastal state.

    He said that the government is looking for investment under the PPP framework, especially in bungee jumping and promoting Goa as a preferred destination for weddings.

    Highlighting that Goa, famous for its sandy beaches, shrines, vibrant nightlife and thrilling water activities, is trying to attract high-end international and national travellers, Sawant said the state has already formulated a new tourism policy under which those who want to invest under the PPP model will get ease of doing business and single window clearance.

    “We are developing infrastructure in such a way that Goa will be the tourism capital of the country,” Sawant said, adding after the COVID-19 pandemic, the tiny state will be the safest destination for holiday-makers.

    The chief minister claimed that be it the health, road or tourism infrastructure, they have completed everything in the last eight years. “I feel whatever is required at present for the next 50 years that infrastructure we have already completed in these eight years,” he said, adding Goa annually attracts 15 million tourists.

    The CM said impact of “double engine” development (BJP in power at the Centre and also in the state) was now visible in Goa. He said the state government is keen on “sustainable” iron ore mining, which has been banned following a Supreme Court order a few years ago.

    “Definitely, this time in this (new) tenure (of BJP government) we are starting with mining. We have already formed mining corporations. We have already formulated a mining dump policy in a different way. This time we are starting with sustainable ways,” Sawant said.

    The CM said the issue of land allotment for an IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), which witnessed agitations in the past, has now been resolved. Within three months, land will be given for the proposed IIT in Goa after which work on the project will start.

    “Already we have started the National Science Forensic University under the home ministry in the state of Goa. We are starting an arbitration centre (on the lines of one in Singapore). The first international arbitration centre we are starting in Goa,” Sawant said.

    Sawant claimed Goa is the first state that has provided water connection to every household, has achieved 100 per cent electrification and also acquired the status of being ‘open defecation free’. He said that Goa is also the first state to have a marine cluster and results of its ‘blue economy’ will be visible prominently in the future.

    According to the chief minister, the upcoming international airport at Mopa in Goa will be inaugurated on August 15, 2022, and the new aerodrome will also benefit neighbouring Maharashtra. Sawant said the Goa government is setting up separate electronic manufacturing and IT clusters.

  • Goa cop arrested for raping teen girl, forcing her to undergo abortion

    By PTI

    PANAJI: A Goa policeman was arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl several times and then forcing her to undergo an abortion, an official said on Saturday.

    Manjunath Koli was arrested by the Women Cell of the state police after the victim’s mother filed a complaint, he said.

    Koli, who was charged with rape under IPC, POCSO Act and Goa Children’s Act provisions, was presented in a court on Friday, which remanded him in police custody for seven days, the official added.

  • Konkani should also be used in Bombay High Court: Goa CM Pramod Sawant

    Goa CM Pramod Sawant said that the state is a multilingual state, where different languages are used for different tasks.