AAP’s Goa president arrested in accident case, says refusal to join BJP led to it

News Network

August 31, 2023

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Goa chief Amit Palekar was on Thursday, August 31, arrested for allegedly destroying evidence related to an accident that left three people dead even as he denied the charges saying he was implicated after he refused to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Police said Palekar, who is also a lawyer, came to a police station with a person and identified him as the driver of an SUV involved in the accident to allegedly shield the person who was actually at the vehicle’s wheel. Palekar has been booked under the Indian Penal Code’s Section 201, which provides for up to seven years of imprisonment.

Palekar blamed “dirty politics” for his arrest. “They were pressuring me for two days that if you do not join the BJP, I will face consequences. This is absolutely dirty politics. Nothing more than this. I have nothing to do with this crime. This is only to tarnish my image and nothing more than this,” Palekar told journalists as he was being escorted from the police station where he was arrested.

There was no immediate reaction from the BJP over Palekar’s allegations.

Businessman Paresh alias Shripad A Sinai Sawardekar was earlier arrested in the case on charges of culpable homicide. Police said a speeding car Sawardekar was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol crashed into four vehicles and left three people dead near Panaji on Sunday. They added Sawardekar and his partner, Meghana, were returning in their Mercedes SUV from a party, where Palekar was also present, when the accident took place.

The speeding Mercedes entered a highway from the approach ramp, took a turn leading up to the bridge and crashed head-on into a motorcycle and scooter before ramming into three cars.

Meghana, the owner of the vehicle, deposited ₹2 crore for compensation for the victims on the directions of the Bombay High Court at Goa. The court granted bail to Sawardekar after the Goa Police’s crime branch, which is probing the case, submitted his custody was no longer required.

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Udupi NRI duped of Rs 12.25 lakh in Telegram investment scam

News Network

December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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