Remo says ready for probe; bail plea hearing posted to Jan 7

Pop singer Remo Fernandes today told a local court that he is ready for a probe into the charge against him of verbally abusing a girl after she was allegedly hit by his son's car but said the police had never called him for his statement.
"I have sworn in the affidavit (before the court) that I am in Goa. Has investigating officer issued notice to me? What investigating officer has done to take my statement?" Remo's lawyer Rajiv Gomes told the Goa Children's Court today while arguing on his anticipatory bail plea.
Further hearing on his plea was posted by the court on January 7.

The 62-year-old singer has been booked for verbally abusing a 17-year-old girl on December 3 at Goa Medical College and Hospital where she was being treated after she was allegedly knocked down by a car driven by his son Johan.
Public Prosecutor Krishna Sanzgiri, however, accused Remo of not being present before the police despite being in the state for last four days.
"You should have joined the investigations. When court is seized of the matter (anticipatory bail), where is the question of issuing you a notice to be present before the police," she said arguing before Judge Vandana Tendulkar.

Sanzgiri said that custodial interrogation of the accused is required to get more details of the case.

The court has now fixed hearing on the bail plea on January 7.
Notably, earlier, a lookout notice was issued against Remo for not presenting himself before police, despite two summons in connection with the case.
Social activist Aires Rodrigues, who had filed complaint against Remo, said before the court that cruelty against the victim began on the first day, on December 1, when she was knocked down by the car driven by Remo's son.
Remo, who was also in the vehicle, remained sitting in the car and did not call the ambulance, he alleged.

He also alleged that the girl was verbally abused by Remo at the accident site.
"This conduct does not suit the person who has been bestowed the highest citation like Padma Shree," he said, pointing out that the girl during her stay in hospital was helped by many people as she hails from an economically weaker background.
Remo's lawyer said the offence was alleged to have happened on December 3, but the complaint was filed on December 17, over ten days after the singer left the country for Europe tour.