Sonali Phogat case: “We are being singled out and targeted,” Curlies Restaurant mgmt hits back

PANAJI: The Management of Curlies Restaurant  – the property which is in the eye of a storm due the death of BJP leader and actor Sonali Phogat has hit back at the authorities in Goa, alleging that they (Curlies restaurant) are being “singled out and targeted”.

According to one of the people associated with the Curlies restaurant, there are several shacks in the Arpora, Vagator, Anjuna and even in the Baga, Calangute and Candolim belt where waiters and others peddle drugs.

“There is a famous nightspot at Baga, where Africans openly sell drugs on the road leading to the nightspot. But that nightspot is not shut down. Their owners and partners are not arrested. Why? However, every time there is a big drug case in Goa, Curlies is raided and shut down,” the Curlies representative lamented.

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“What about the other restaurants and shacks. Raid them too and shut them down,” the source demanded, adding that Curlies should not be made a scapegoat to protect others.

“The drugs were purchased at the Grand Leoney Resort at Anjuna and supplied by one of their waiters. The accused Sudhir Sangwan and Sukhwinder Singh along with the deceased Sonali Phogat first consumed the drugs at the Grand Leoney Resort and then moved to our restaurant. They had mixed the drugs with a drink in a bottle while at the Grand Leoney Resort and smuggled it to our restaurant. We do not conduct body checks on our guests as it is demeaning and turns away the tourists. They (accused and deceased) brought the drugs into our restaurant from outside and tried to consume it here and then dumped the unused stuff in the toilet. Yet our restaurant was raided and shut down, while no action was taken against the Grand Leoney resort, its owners and management where the drugs were purchased (in the first place) and consumed, and its waiters were indulging in peddling of the contraband,” one of the people associated with the Curlies Restaurant told this reporter, alleging that Curlies is being singled out by the authorities.

The Curlies representative did not want to be named and requested anonymity, fearing further “attacks” by the authorities.

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The victim died after she left our premises. While she was at our premises she was still standing and though had to be supported was walking on her own. Many tourists get drunk and need help to be taken to their vehicles, the Curlies rep said.

Adv Raju Poulekar who has been representing Edwin Nunes, when contacted confirmed the above statements.

According to Poulekar, “we have argued the same in the court and it is now a matter of record. The Goa cops have “protected” the Grand Leoney Resort and not taken action against its owners and management, for reasons best known to them, in spite of the fact that the drugs were first purchased and consumed on the Grand Leoney Resort premises. The owners of the Grand Leoney Resort are politically connected and protected by some bigwigs in the State,” Poulekar said.

Meanwhile, an Additional Sessions Judge at the Mapusa court, granted conditional bail to Edwin Nunes of Curlies against a personal bail bond of Rs 30,000 and two sureties of Rs 15,000 each in connection with the Sonali Phogat case.

As per the bail conditions, Nunes is not allowed to enter Curlies restaurant and will need to take permission before leaving Goa. Nunes will also have to report to the Court and police whenever called upon.