Margao: Chennaiyin FC skipper Elano Blumer’s post-win shenanigans at the Goa stadium last night -- that led to his arrest and subsequent bail – has made his defence team wonder whether on-field jousting should be taken so seriously as to bring in the law.
But what happened was certainly unfortunate – one that marred the well-earned finale of a glam-filled, close-fought league.
Chennaiyin FC’s marquee player Elano was arrested Sunday night after allegedly assaulting co-owner of FC Goa Dattaraj Salgaocar following the Indian Super League (ISL) grand finale and was successfully released on bail by Rajeev Gomes at 1.30 am.
According to sources present, Salgaocar claimed Elano to have physically assaulted him in an ugly altercation at the dug-out after the final whistle was blown. There was a fight behind the stage after the match and Elano was apparently trying to calm the situation down.
“He walked towards FC Goa's bench and Salgaocar didn’t like his move. He asked Elano to vacate the area after which Elano allegedly pushed the Goan industrialist,” sources at the scene said.
Advocate Rajeev Gomes, who was appointed the defense lawyer to release Chennaiyin FC skipper Elano Blumer on bail, has lashed out at the state machinery, pointing out that Goa’s ruling polity and the police’s main motive was to keep the Brazilian midfielder behind bars.
“There was an evil desire behind this whole scene. The police went about with the case very haphazardly. CM Laxmikant Parsekar and the Goa Police’s main motive was to keep Elano behind bars. Even after the bail was issued, the police were gunning for his passport. They didn’t want him to leave the country,” Gomes told this correspondent, in an exclusive chat on Monday morning.
Goa CM Parsekar, who was present as one of the dignitaries along with Mukesh and Nita Ambani, Abhishek Bachchan, Virat Kohli, Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma, left the stadium immediately after the match.
An FIR was filed after the brawl and the Manchester City midfielder was slapped under section 341 (wrongful restrain), 323 (causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace).
Goa Police reached the spot to arrest Elano. However, the Brazilian veteran was still in the dressing room but after a while surrendered to the police after the latter threatened to enter the team room forcefully. Nearly two hours after the thriller, Elano was escorted to the nearest police station.
“This is very disrespectful by the FC Goa management. Altercations always happen on the football field and even in any sporting event but this case was a bogus one. The complainant (Dattaraj Salgaoncar) didn’t arrive at the Police station to file an FIR. He did it directly from the stadium which is against the rules,” Gomes added.
After the three-hour ordeal, Elano left the Margao Police station only around 2:35am for the team hotel in Cavelossim, 21 kms from here. Elano left the country early Monday morning.
“Elano was devastated after the whole incident. He is released on bail but the case is not closed. Investigations are still on. Elano is allowed to leave the country but if there is a hearing, a local representative is allowed to represent Elano,” asserted Gomes, who now has left all hopes of seeing any Brazilian football players on Indian football turfs.
In the midst of all the commotion, the Chennaiyin FC team bus left at 11.30 pm from the stadium, out of fear of troubling brewing outside. The ISL trophy also was preserved safely in a locker room within the stadium premises.
“This is a serious issue and very humiliating to Goa. This scene has spoilt the image of Goa. The ISL management should have done something. This whole sight has ruined Goa’s image on the international circuit. I don’t expect any Brazilian players coming to Goa,” Gomes said.
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