YouTuber Gautam Khattar was brought to Goa on Sunday on transit remand following his arrest in Himachal Pradesh in connection with a case over his alleged offensive remarks against St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of the coastal state, officials said.
Goa Police booked Khattar after he allegedly referred to the 16th-century Spanish Jesuit missionary as a “terrorist” during Sanatan Dharm Raksha Samiti’s Parshuram Jayanti celebrations in Vasco da Gama, Goa, HT earlier reported.
He also allegedly made derogatory remarks about the saint’s remains kept in a casket revered as sacred relics.
Khattar, founder of an outfit named Sanatan Mahasangh, was arrested in Kullu district on Friday after days of search in connection with the case registered earlier this week.
A Crime Branch team brought the accused to Goa, arriving by flight on Sunday afternoon.
Also Read | YouTuber Gautam Khattar detained in HP’s Kullu over controversial remark in Goa: Police
What happened?
The Goa Police had been searching for him since April 18, when an FIR for “hurting religious sentiments” was registered in Panaji.
His brother, Madhav, was arrested from Uttarakhand on Wednesday in connection with the same case.
The controversy erupted after a video of Khattar making “objectionable” statements against St Xavier went viral. The saint’s Holy Relics are preserved at the Basilica of Bom Jesus Church in Old Goa, and the video triggered widespread outrage.
Protesters demanded action not only against Gautam Khattar but also against the organisers of the event.
Khattar had made the remarks while addressing an event on April 18 in the presence of religious guru Swami Brahmeshanand, Goa Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho, and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar.
Also Read | YouTuber’s brother held over controversial St Francis Xavier remark: Goa police
Protests staged to arrest Khattar
Earlier, more than 100 people staged a demonstration in Vasco town on Thursday, demanding Khattar’s immediate arrest.
Police said he will be produced before a local court, which will decide on his custody, while further investigation into the case is underway.
The FIR was initially registered at Vasco police station in South Goa but was later transferred to the Crime Branch after multiple complaints were filed at police stations in Margao, Panaji, Vasco, Anjuna, and Old Goa.
Following the complaints, the Goa Police registered the FIR on April 21 under charges related to promoting enmity and hurting religious sentiments.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had on Thursday said Khattar would be arrested within two days.
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