Father of Goa blast accused serves notice on cops

Siddhagonda Patil, father of the deceased Malgonda Patil who was killed in the Margao bomb explosion, has served a legal notice on Margao police for their failure to hand over his son's body to him.

The notice, served through his lawyer V M Deshpande, demands that the state should pay Rs 20,000 to the family as they incurred these expenses in coming to Goa.

Police called Malgonda Patil's family members to take possession of the body but at the last minute told that the post mortem was yet to be conducted, Deshpande told PTI on Wednesday evening.

Malgonda Patil is named as a prime accused in the Diwali-eve Margao blast case. The family had to spend Rs 20,000 on the ambulance, stay and food, the notice reads. The lawyer said Siddhagonda is a farmer and had to borrow money to meet expenses for the visit and even after coming to Panaji, police refused to hand over the body.

Siddhagonda wanted that after receipt of the notice, police, with due respect, should bring the body to Karjanagi, post Nigadi, taluk Jat, district Sangli.

The lawyer said that the expenses borne by his client to come to Margao may be paid. "If not, the client will seek justice in court and you (police) will be responsible for the repercussions," the notice reads.