PANJIM: In a submission made before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), which is hearing a petition challenging the nationality of Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes, Goa Police have stated that the politician is an Indian national. 

The Panjim police, in its reply to Advocate Aires Rodrigues’ petition, stated that photocopy of the document in Portuguese is not sufficient to declare a person as a foreign national. The reply further stated that the Panjim Passport office has informed that Fernandes holds an Indian Passport issued to him on October 14, 2011 which is valid till October 13, 2021.

It may be recalled Rodrigues had moved the Court on August 13 over the failure of the police to act on his complaint filed against Fernandes on August 4. The petitioner pointed out that the police sought information on Fernandes only on October 19, 2019 which is over two months after the complaint against the Deputy Speaker was filed.

In his petition filed under Section 156 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, Rodrigues sought court directions to the Panjim police to register an FIR against Fernandes under the Citizenship Act, 1955, and Section 177, 181, 419 and 420 of IPC of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People’s Act.   

Rodrigues sought that the police be directed to investigate the matter properly.