Melvin Crasto, President of the All India Speak Asia Panelists Association (AISPA), faced arrest over an unexplained $3,000 payment from Speak Asia. This development unfolded as panelists continued Supreme Court action to recover funds. Harendar Kaur previously siphoned over $100 million USD of panelist money to Singapore.

AISPA President Ashok Bahirwani maintained Crasto was a "mere panelist," insisting he was not a promoter of Speak Asia Online (SAOL). Despite these claims, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) presented sufficient evidence. A judge denied Crasto bail and remanded him into custody.

A week of EOW interrogation followed. The information Crasto provided led to the arrest of Ashish Dandekar, Speak Asia's acting Chief Operating Officer.

Bahirwani reported on December 3rd that "Melwyn asked to meet our counsel Adv. Ahmad Abdi." Crasto had not requested legal representation prior to this. The EOW's evidence against Crasto apparently made his defense of being "just a simple panelist" untenable.

Police sources indicate Crasto received 23 lakh, or $43,217 USD, directly into his bank account from Speak Asia. Authorities also claim Crasto acted as a promoter for Speak Asia, being one of the first panelists. They allege he knew the surveys generated no actual customers.

This revelation accounts for the Mumbai High Court's continued denial of Crasto's bail. It raises questions about Crasto seeking legal advice on December 3rd, specifically concerning the ramifications of receiving over $40,000 from Speak Asia while claiming a simple panelist role. Speak Asia's business operations effectively ceased in May 2011.

Bahirwani's charge that Crasto's arrest constituted an "atrocity" appears questionable. He suggested the EOW employed a ploy to prevent panelists from adequate representation before Justice R.C. Lahoti.

AISPA's writ petition, number 3611, has been rejected twice in court. In its first scheduled hearing on December 9th, a judge dismissed the petition as invalid. AISPA's legal counsel requested permission to amend the petition.

A judge granted the amendment, setting a three-day deadline. The writ petition was heard again on December 14th. In its amended form, AISPA named the EOW and an unnamed party. The public prosecutor argued for dismissal.