The Goa BJP is accusing the Congress party of having ties to a local councillor whose son is accused of sex crimes against minors, sparking a political row over alleged influence and cover-ups.
Key Points
- Goa BJP alleges Congress connection to Sushant Naik, a councillor whose son Soham Naik was arrested in a sex scandal involving minor girls.
- The BJP posted photos of Sushant Naik with Congress leaders, questioning if this influenced the Congress's reaction to the case.
- Congress leader Amit Patkar claims the photos are from a 2021 cricket tournament and deny any political or personal association.
- The Congress accuses the BJP of using cheap propaganda and character assassination to divert attention from the real issues.
- The Soham Naik case is under investigation by the Crime Branch, with four girls having testified against the accused.
The Goa BJP on Monday posted on social media photographs of a councillor, whose son has been arrested for alleged involvement in a sex scandal, with Congress leaders and asked if this was the reason the opposition party was "hyper active to paint a different story".
Soham Naik (20), son of Sushant Naik, a member of Curchorem Municipal Council in south Goa, was arrested on March 22 in cases filed under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Goa Children's Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act for allegedly raping minor girls, filming their obscene videos and circulating them.
Since then, the ruling BJP has been maintaining that councillor Sushant Naik had no link with the party. It also attacked parties like the Congress for making such insinuations.
BJP's Allegations and Evidence
On Monday, BJP Goa's social media in charge Shubham Parsekar released on X two pictures of Sushant Naik with state Congress chief Amit Patkar and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao.
"A reason why Congress was hyper active to paint a different story?" Parsekar asked.
Congress's Response
When contacted, Patkar said the photograph was from a cricket tournament organised in 2021 by then Curchorem Congress block president Pushkal Sawant.
The accused's father was also invited, Patkar said, adding that a photograph from such a public function does not mean "political or personal association".
"He was sitting next to me. I don't even remember. This photograph is of 2021. The BJP is trying to save face by coming up with such old photographs. Let this be stated clearly. There was no relationship then and now," Patkar added.
Instead of answering for the present, the BJP is hiding behind cheap propaganda, diversion and character assassination, he said.
"This is the DNA of the BJP's propaganda machine," Patkar claimed.
Investigation Details
The Soham Naik case is being investigated by the Crime Branch. Four girls have deposed so far against the accused, its officials said.
