PANAJI: Wilson Godinho, brother of Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho on Monday filed anticipatory bail application before the principal district and sessions court, Panaji. Wilson and a city businessman Tahir have been named in the FIR filed in connection with the alleged suicide of former Merces sarpanch Prakash Naik, who allegedly shot himself on Friday at his residence. Both - Wilson and Tahir been booked by the Old Goa police for abatement of suicide. Naik in WhatsApp messages sent by him to various groups few hours before his death had held Wilson and Tahir responsible for taking this extreme step. He had accused them of harassment and "blackmailing" over money matter.
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In his anticipatory bail application, Wilson has refuted all the allegations and has claimed that he had not entered into any business with late Prakash Naik. He has further stated that he had filed a case against the Merces panchayat before the director of panchayats and the same was being heard. other than this, he had no other contact with Prakash Naik. Wilson stated that since he was Minister's brother the opposition parties were trying to give political colour to the issue and trying to implicate him. When the anticipatory bail application came up before the sessions court, Adv Rohit Bras de Sa, arguing on behalf of Wilson Godinho, told the court that he had not received the copy of the complaint even as the Old Goa police opposed the anticipatory bail plea. The Old Goa police also submitted their say to the court, who postponed the matter for hearing at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, January 21. Wilson, who was also present in the court hall later told media persons that, "I sympathise with his (Prakash) family. I am for very fair investigation so as to reach to its logical conclusion." Meanwhile, the last rites of Prakash Naik was held at Merces crematorium on Monday evening after family took possession of the body.
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