PANAJI — The Goa Police, probing alleged objectionable remarks by Hindutva speaker Gautam Khattar against St Francis Xavier, on Wednesday issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him and arrested his brother in Uttarakhand, officials said.
A Crime Branch team arrested Madhav Khattar from Haridwar and named him a co-accused after it emerged that he had prepared the speech delivered by his brother at an event held four days ago, PTI reported.
A day earlier, police had visited Gautam Khattar’s residence in Dehradun, but he was not found. He was served a summons to appear before the investigating officer, but has not responded, a senior official said.
“The Crime Branch has issued an LOC against the main accused and alerted the Bureau of Immigration to prevent him from leaving the country. Police teams are camping in multiple cities to trace him,” the official said.
Gautam Khattar, founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, sparked outrage with his remarks at an April 18 event attended by Swami Brahmeshanand, state minister Mauvin Godinho, and BJP MLAs Sankalp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar.
A video of his comments targeting Goa’s patron saint went viral, triggering protests across the state and drawing condemnation from political leaders, the Church, and civil society groups.
The Vasco police had registered an FIR against Khattar for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and promoting communal disharmony. The relics of St Francis Xavier are housed at the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
The Crime Branch formally took over the investigation from Vasco police on Wednesday.
“Madhav Khattar was tracked through surveillance and apprehended in Haridwar. He is being brought to Goa for further investigation,” the official said.
According to investigators, Madhav accompanied Gautam to the Vasco event, recorded the speech, and later circulated the video on social media.
Probe findings also indicate that event organisers were in contact with Madhav for coordination, including travel, accommodation, and a payment of ₹51,000 for Gautam’s participation.
Officials said the speech delivered at the event was allegedly drafted by Madhav, leading to his being named a co-accused.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said police have launched an extensive search and that Khattar would be arrested soon.
Multiple complaints have been filed against him across the state, including in Vasco, Old Goa, Panaji, Margao and Anjuna.
The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman condemned the remarks as “hateful and malicious,” saying they sought to malign the legacy of the saint, popularly known as “Goencho Saib.”
The Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats (AAGMJ) also demanded strict action. Its president, Shaikh Bashir Ahmed, said the remarks were “derogatory and offensive” and hurt the sentiments of people in Goa and beyond.
“Freedom of expression cannot be misused as a licence to insult religious figures and provoke communal disharmony,” he said.
