PANJIM: The Additional Sessions Court, Panjim has rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by St Cruz panch Lawrence Marcelline Rodrigues, who has been accused of forging documents to obtain a caste certificate. 

According to the FIR registered at Old Goa police station last month, Rodrigues allegedly forged a bona fide certificate and produced it before the Deputy Collector (Tiswadi) to obtain an OBC caste certificate, that would facilitate his contesting the panchayat elections in ward number III of St Cruz. The panch, fearing arrest, moved the court seeking anticipatory bail. 

Judge Kshama Joshi rejected the plea, accepting the prosecution’s apprehension of Rodrigues interfering with the investigation as he is an influential person being a panch. The court also stated that it was evident from the records that the bona fide certificate was obtained fraudulently and produced before the Deputy Collector to obtain an OBC caste certificate.