Bombay High Court Grants Bail to Subhash Velingkar

The Bombay High Court at Goa granted anticipatory bail to former RSS Chief Subhash Velingkar in a case concerning remarks that allegedly hurt religious sentiments regarding St. Francis Xavier. The court noted that Velingkar had fully cooperated with the investigation, appearing before police on two occasions, and concluded that his arrest was not necessary at this stage. The case against Velingkar stemmed from multiple complaints, including one from AAP MLA Cruz Silva, leading to an FIR filed on October 6, 2024. Justice B. P. Deshpande presided over the hearing, which also addressed intervention petitions from aggrieved parties. Following public protests, police had received significant pressure to act against Velingkar. The court dismissed earlier comments made by a lower court regarding the merits of the case, which were deemed inappropriate.