Gomes unable to make bail, remanded to custody till Oct 15

VASAI: Francis Gomes (60), who is accused of having kept his wife and three daughters virtual prisoners in their home at Naigaon for months on end, would have been a free man on Thursday had he been able to provide surety. The First Class Judicial Magistrate of the Vasai sessions court, S T Chikne, remanded Gomes to magisterial custody till October 15, when the accused failed to provide the required bail amount of Rs 15,000.
Gomes's advocate Bhushan Gujar pleaded with the court that his client could not make arrangements for the money immediately. "As Friday is a holiday, Gomes can be bailed out on Saturday if the money is arranged,'' said Gujar, who also represents Gomes in two other cases.
Gomes, who was produced in the court in the second half of the day, sat in the corridors waiting for his turn. He is, however, well-acquainted with the premises as he has been visiting the court in connection with two other cases pertaining to his two older daughters. Gujar, who also represents the accused in these two cases, argued that his client was being framed by his wife who is of "unsound mind''.
The fact that Gomes could be out on bail, however, has not gone down well with R Gopalakrishnan who had rescued Gomes's wife Theresa and her daughters, Elizabeth and Barbara. "Gomes needs treatment more than his wife and children. Had he been of sound mind he wouldn't have confined his family,'' said Gopalakrishnan.
Even though the accused is currently unemployed, Gujar is confident that not only will the bail money be produced, but his client would also bear the legal fees. "Gomes has been prompt in his payment. I represent him in two more cases and he has always given me my fees. So I am not worried about my fees at this moment.''
But to date, Gomes's attempts to procure bail money has met with little success. On Wednesday night, a Nalasopara-based couple who had met Gomes at community meeting, visited him at the Manikpur police station. They were the only ones to do so. Gomes allegedly asked them to contact the owner of a certain bakery at Mariam Park in Naigon for the bail amount. But the owner was not at court on Thursday, nor was there any sign of him when TOI visited the bakery. According to Gujar, Gomes was booked under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code. These, said the lawyer, are bailable offences. Until surety is provided, Gomes will remain in Thane jail.