PANJIM/MARGAO: Over 50 Goan seamen on Wednesday complained they have been duped by a Margao-based money exchange firm of over Rs 50 crore.
The seamen, who had gathered at Economic Offence’s Cell (EOC) in Panjim to file their complaint, had also organised a meeting in Margao of all other investors, allegedly duped, but who have not filed complaints yet.
Following the complaint from the 50-odd investors from across Goa, the EOC registered a FIR against Nilesh Raikar, the owner of Kamakshi Forex Pvt Ltd, and commenced investigations.
According to an investor, Raikar who owns the money exchange firm, used to give post-dated cheques to people who exchanged foreign currency with his firm.
Kamakshi Forex has been existing in Margao for years and a large number of seamen used to deal with this firm. Most of the affected parties were shocked that the firm which had till now rendered good service suddenly defaulted.
According to sources, Raikar invested the funds collected from the seamen in IPL betting, but this has not been confirmed. The complaint, which was filed at EOC, is signed by almost 30 seamen from Goa with details of the cheques which bounced in the last couple of days.
According to complaints the office of Kamakshi Forex in Margao is now shut and the owners are at large since April 8. They also said that the flat in which Raikar resided in Margao has been locked for many days.
According to the complainants, some of the post-dated cheques issued are not proper, have no proper signature and they alleged that this was done on purpose. The complainants have also said that some of the cheques that bounced were signed by the employees.
Earlier in Margao, the seamen went to the office of the company in Comba which was closed. They said that in the past the company had attempted to dupe people in a similar fashion and was forced to pay the people’s money. According to investors, Raikar had asked several seamen and their families to invest their foreign exchange in his company and promised them triple interest on their money. Some people were indeed paid by the company in the past.
“The police have to intervene and get the offices sealed and his residence confiscated and auction them to pay our money,” one victim said.
The victims met the Superintendent of Police in Margao who directed them to file a complaint at the EOC in Panjim.
