SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Siolim-based Five Pillar Church Pastor Domnic D’Souza and his wife Joan Mascarenhas e D’Souza have yet again challenged their externment order before the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
The duo have challenged the externment order a week after the appellate authority ie Chief Secretary P K Goel dismissed their appeals.
On April 26, the appellate authority had dismissed appeals filed by Pastor Domnic D'Souza and wife Joan Mascarenhas e D’Souza against their externment order by the North Goa Collector.
Earlier, the High Court had directed the appellate authority ie the Chief Secretary to dispose of the appeals filed by D’Souza and his wife Joan challenging their externment order, as expeditiously as possible and in any case, latest by April 26.
The North Goa Collector had on March 14, 2024 issued an order externing them from the jurisdiction of North Goa district for a period of six months, with immediate effect, under the provisions of the Goa Maintenance of Public Order and Safety Act, 1988.
Both the petitioners have prayed for interim relief in terms of the proviso to Section 7(3) of the Goa Maintenance of Public Order and Safety Act, 1988.
It can be recalled that earlier in the month of January, Goa Police had arrested Pastor Dominic D’Souza on charges of alleged involvement in black magic and religious conversion activities, following a complaint by Vadivel B, a resident of Tamil Nadu currently residing in Curti-Ponda.
