Panaji: Goa Police on Tuesday handed over the case against right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar for allegedly insulting St Francis Xavier to the Crime Branch from Vasco Police Station.
Superintendent of Police (Crime) Rahul Gupta said that multiple teams have been formed to trace Khattar as soon as possible.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Ved Prakash Surya on Tuesday issued an order transferring the case to the Crime Branch with immediate effect for further investigation.
More than a dozen complaints have been filed across police stations in Goa against Khattar, who allegedly insulted St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa, in his speech in Vasco on Saturday.
The order issued on Tuesday stated that Vasco Police should hand over the case papers and up-to-date case diaries along with attached muddemal property, if any, in the case to the Crime Branch Police Station, Ribandar, Goa.
The Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, Ribandar, Goa, shall entrust the case to a competent police officer to conduct further investigation and monitor the case personally.
The video of Khattar making objectionable statements against St Francis Xavier, whose holy relics are preserved at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, went viral. He was addressing an event on Saturday evening in the presence of religious guru Swami Brahmeshanand, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho, and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar.
Khattar is the founder of the organisation Sanatan Mahasangh.
The event to mark Bhagwan Parshuram Janmotsav was organised by Sanatan Dharma Raksha Samiti, Mormugao.
