For ‘assaulting’ BJP functionary, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte held in late-night raid

PANAJI: Goa police on Thursday arrested former revenue minister and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte for allegedly wrongfully restraining and assaulting BJP spokesperson Premanand Mahambre after he raised certain issues pertaining to Khaunte’s assets and businesses. The MLA was subsequently released on bail.
Acting on Mahambre’s complaint, Porvorim police booked Khaunte under Section 341 (wrongful restraint) and 323 (causing voluntary hurt) on Wednesday around 10pm.He was then arrested from his residence around 1.50am and released around 2.30am on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 5,000.
Mahambre had also filed the complaint before speaker Rajesh Patnekar.
Police said that since the assembly is in session they took permission from the speaker to arrest Khaunte.
“In my capacity as BJP spokesperson, I took part in a press conference at the party office on Wednesday. During the briefing I had raised certain issues pertaining to the assets and businesses of Khaunte,” Mahambre stated in his complaint at Porvorim police station.
Looking at me, he got furious: Premanand Mahambre
As per the complaint, Mahambre went to the assembly after the briefing to listen to the chief minister’s reply to the motion of thanks to the governor and that in the corridor he met leader of the opposition Digambar Kamat as well as Khaunte.
“Looking at me Khaunte got angry and furious. He gripped my hand tightly and in a furious tone he asked me why I am so concerned about his properties,” the complaint states. Mahambre also stated that Khaunte threatened him saying, “I will show you, I will show you your father and mother’s properties too.”
Mahambre had demanded that police take cognisance of his complaint and register an FIR immediately as he anticipated a potential threat to his life from the MLA or people working under his direct or indirect instructions.
BJP state president Sadanand Tanavade said that Khaunte used to harass BJP workers in Porvorim, but the party was not able to act against him because he was a minister in their government at the time.