PANJIM: The Panjim police have registered a case against Superintendent of Police Allan D’ Sa, Police Inspector Edwin Colaco, 43 advocates, six ‘unknown’ persons working under the High Court of Bombay in Goa and 500 working or retired government servants for having dual citizenship, under Section 14 of Foreigners Act, Sections 4 and 5 of Registration of Foreigners Act and Section 12 of the Passport Act.
According to the complaint by Kashinath Shetye the accused have acquired citizenship of Portugal by obtaining Bilhete de Identidade without surrendering their Indian citizenship. The investigation is to be done by Panjim Police Inspector Rajendra Prabhudessai. The offences were registered on directions by the JMFC Court, Panjim under section 156(3) of the Criminal Penal Code.
It may be recalled that a petition had been filed in the High Court of Bombay at Goa asking for an FIR (first information report) to be filed against two police officers, two legislators, 43 advocates, six persons working under the High Court of Bombay at Goa and 500 other persons working or retired in government departments for having dual citizenship and being a threat to national security.
“The urgent intervention of this honorable court is necessary to grant necessary directions to ensure that the FIR registered by the respondents individually or by forming a special investigating team on the complaint received from the petitioners and investigated fairly and taken to their logical conclusion as per law,” the petition had argued and said that these offences “cannot be allowed to be glossed over and swept under the carpet in the manner that it is sought to be done.”
A complaint has also been filed before the National Investigation Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Anti Corruption Bureau and CID, for these persons having dual citizenship and arguing that they could pose a threat to national security.
The complainant wanted them to be prosecuted under Section 14 of Foreigners Act, under sections 4 & 5 of the Registration of Foreigners Act 1939 and under Section 12 of the Passport Act 1967 as well as under sections 119, 177, 217, 218, 420, 467, 468, 471 120-B and 34.
The complainant also wanted the authorities to take appropriate disciplinary or other action in accordance with law, whether such officer, expert or employee witness, is in service or has since retired.
Issue to be taken up with Centre
u Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had told the Legislative Assembly during the recent session that the State would take up the issue of dual nationality with the Union home minister in September.
u Parrikar had said that there are a total of 16 complaints in various police stations across the state regarding this matter.
u Of these, nine have been filed in different police stations in south Goa, with criminal cases being registered as well.
u Seven complaints are still pending before various courts of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Goa.
u More than 400 applications are being made every day for Portuguese citizenship
u At least 40,000 plus people have gone beyond just registration for bilhete and attained Portuguese passport.
u At least one lakh Goans from both communities have probably registered their names with the Portuguese government
