PANJIM: Union Minister Shripad Naik has denied that Vinod Desai, accused of duping a job seeker, was employed by him in his deposition before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Panjim, on Wednesday.
Naik, however, conceded that Desai is known to him as the latter’s father worked with him. In his testimony, during the hearing of a case filed by victim job seeker Mervin Fernandes, the minister stated that he knows the accused for the last 10-15 years as he at time visited his house but was never employed by him.
Naik further testified that on September 26, 2018, his office had written to the Old Goa Police Station that Desai was not their staff.
Fernandes represented by Advocate Aires Rodrigues in November 2018 initiated criminal proceedings for cheque bouncing against Desai before the JMFC.
As per the complaint, Desai had promised Fernandes a government job at the State Secretariat on payment of Rs 6 lakh for which he had taken an advance of Rs 2 lakh.
Having failed to secure the job, Rodrigues said, the complainant demanded a refund of the amount paid and after repeated reminders, Desai on June 28, 2017 issued Fernandes a cheque of Rs 1 lakh as part refund but it bounced.
On September 20, 2018 Fernandes lodged a complaint at the Old Goa Police Station and Desai on being summoned handed over a cheque of Rs 3 lakh as full and final settlement but that cheque also bounced after which the Old Goa Police on September 25 registered an FIR.
Another witness Sripad Bhosle in whose presence Fernandes allegedly paid Desai the amount of Rs 2 lakh, testified that Desai was working for the minister at his residence in Sao Pedro.
Bhosle also deposed that while promising his daughter a job in the Fisheries Department, Desai allegedly took an advance of Rs 1 lakh but refunded the amount after his daughter did not get the job.
