By IANS,
Panaji : Ingo Grill, the controversial promoter of the famous ‘Saturday nite market’ in the quaint village of Arpora in Goa, is caught in a piquant situation.
While the German national has been denied a visa by the union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to enter India, a local trial court has issued a non-bailable warrant in his name for cutting down trees without requisite permission.
Speaking to IANS, Grill’s lawyer Vikram Varma said on the one hand the German citizen was denied visa because of a tree-cutting case against him and at the same time, he was wanted by a local court to appear before it.
“His presence is required at the Judicial Magistrate First Class’ (JMFC) court in Mapusa in order to defend himself because of the non-bailable warrant,” Varma said. “And at the same time, the Indian government is denying hima visa, which makes it impossible for him to appear before the law,” he added.
“As far as I am concerned, as in any civilised society, we should be in a position to land in Goa so that he can present himself in court and defend himself,” Varma said.
The complaint against Grill was registered at the Calangute police station a year ago.
Varma said the same police who had accused Grill of being allegedly associated with a narcotics cartel in Goa had been unable to even file a First Information Report (FIR) against him. “He has spent nearly three decades in Goa, promoting tourism and fighting such allegations by the police which perhaps first triggered the deportation order,” he said.
Grill pioneered the popular concept of the ‘Saturday nite market’ in the village of Arpora, which serves as a hub between the tremendously popular beaches of Calangute and Anjuna. The market which attracted thousands of tourists each night was very much a hot spot in Goa’s coastal nightlife.