Colamb RTI applicant Motes Antao released

The right to information application filed by anti-mining activist Motes Antao of Colomba Quepem against the police officials of Quepem police station cost him police custody on September 25, 2009 causing one more landmark in the ongoing movement against Goa's nefarious mining industry.

Motes Antao informed that by application dated 14/8/2009 filed under RTI before S.P. South he had asked for detail personal information of P.I. Santosh Dessai, ASI Prakash Dessai and H.C. Arvind Nagekar of Quepem police station.

On Thursday evening PC Vinod of Quepem Police station approached residence of Motes Antao at Colomba to deliver the letter issued by the SP South and the DGP, calling upon Antao to collect the information asked by him under RTI .Motes could be contacted and as family member did not accept the letter, said PC Vinod Kept a message at the residence of Motes to collect the letter on Friday morning, informed Motes Antao.

Motes Antao further informed that Friday morning at around 8.45 am he appeared at the Quepem police station and collected the letter issued by the SP south and the DIG and after collecting the letters he was coming out of the police station at which time he was stopped by ASI Prakash Dessai and arrested him under the garb of a complaint of 28/11/2008 filed by one Shri C.S.Patil Asst. Personal Manager of Hiralal Khodidas Mine - operated by Fomento mining company in Motes' village of Colomba in Sanguem against him - and booked him under section 143, 341, 506 r/w. section 149 of IPC.

In reply to the bail application by Motes Antao before JMFC Sanguem the Quepem police stated that that he was absconding and was avoiding arrest , however in April 2009 the Quepem police arrested him on the garb of another offence. "How can the police says that I was absconding , why the police had not arrested me in April 2009 in respect of this case too, in which they had arrested me today?" Motes Questioned.

"The present arrest of mine is to take a grudge for applying detail information under RTI as ASI Prakash Dessai is also the investigation officer in the cr.No.82/08 dated 28/11/2008 informed" said Motes Antao.

Said Motes Antao is released by the JMFC Sanguem on the surety of Rs.2000/- late evening of September 25, 2009.

Meanwhile Rama Velip stated that as new mining season is starting the Quepem police are trying to trap the anti-mining activist by registering false complaints and falsely arresting them.