Panaji: YouTuber Gautam Khattar, who sparked outrage in Goa with his derogatory remarks against St Francis Xavier at an event in Vasco, was brought to the state by police on Sunday. Khattar was arrested in Himachal Pradesh on April 24, and after obtaining a transit remand, a Goa police team landed with the accused at Manohar International Airport on Sunday morning.
Khattar Produced Before Court
Khattar was taken to the crime branch in Ribandar, where he briefly responded to reporters' questions, saying, "Satya ki jeet" (truth will prevail) and "Aap sabhi ko Jai Sree Ram". He was later taken to Goa Medical College for a medical examination. Subsequently, he was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Vasco, who remanded him to six days of police custody.
Protests and FIR
Following his offensive comments about St Francis Xavier, multiple groups across Goa held protests and filed police complaints against Khattar. An FIR was registered at Vasco police station, and protesters demanded his immediate arrest. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the public that Khattar would be apprehended at the earliest. The case was transferred to the crime branch, and several police teams were dispatched to secure his arrest.
Khattar's brother, Madhav Khattar, was the first to be arrested after police investigation revealed that he negotiated with the organizers of the Vasco event for Gautam's stage appearance. Police stated that Madhav wrote the speech for Gautam and filmed the delivery at the event.
