Just over a month after he was questioned by the Goa crime branch over the mysterious death of his girlfriend Nadia Torrado, former Goa tourism minister Mr Mickky Pacheco was finally arrested on Thursday amidst high drama.
Mr Pacheco, who has been named the prime accused in the case, had exhausted all his options since he went underground after being questioned in the first week of June. He was denied anticipatory bail by the sessions court, the high court and finally the Supreme Court. After surrendering last Saturday, he had complained of chest pains and was admitted to the Hospicio Hospital in Margao hours after he was sent to judicial custody.
The district sessions court at Margao had said on Wednesday that the Goa police could take him into custody for questioning whenever he was discharged from hospital.
Mr Pacheco was discharged from Hospicio Hospital around 11am on Thursday and he promptly went to other government hospital of the state, the Goa Medical Hospital (GMC). Unfortunately for the former minister, doctors here refused to admit him saying there was nothing wrong with him.
Mr Pacheco was taken back to Hospicio from where he was arrested by the Crime Branch.
The NCP MLA tried very hard to look sick and seemed unable to walk in front of the media cameras. As he was being taken to the waiting car he turned to the media teary-eyed and said, “I am innocent. My political enemies are framing me.”