The crime that has left Michael Felix Cardozo spending sleepless nights in anxiety and fear is the alleged possession of a counterfeit Rs 1000 currency note.
Cardozo has now approached Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, who has assured to intervene in the matter.
Narrating the incident to Herald, Cardozo said: “I had gone to deposit Rs 40,000 at a nationalised bank in Calangute, when the banker detected one counterfeit Rs 1,000 currency note.”
“The bank manager reported the matter to the Calangute Police Station and I was questioned by the police. An FIR was also registered against me, though I did not commit any crime, except that the note was detected from my money. In fact, I had received the note from one of my customers,” said Cardozo.
When contacted, Lobo assured the senior citizen that the police would not arrest him, but advised him that a statement, if needed, would be recorded.
“The senior citizen from Calangute was detained for depositing a counterfeit Rs 1,000 currency note while depositing his income from fish business. The fake currency note must have been given by a customer or client and without knowing it was a counterfeit note, Cardozo deposited the money in the bank at Calangute,” said Lobo.
“Instead of intimating the police, the bank manager should have had the courtesy to have either cancelled the fake currency note or should have torn it to pieces, as no respected gentleman would have gone to deposit a fake note.”
“The senior and respected citizen is not a criminal involved in such illegal business to be levied criminal sections under 489(A), 489(E) IPC. An innocent person can be put to mental harassment for fault or reason. Cardozo has been receiving notices under Section 160 CrPC and the Calangute Police has asked him to seek anticipatory bail for being in possession of a counterfeit.”
“This is ridiculous. It is really difficult for an ordinary citizen to identify a counterfeit note. I have requested the Director General of Police to direct his personnel not to file criminal cases against such innocent persons in possession of counterfeit notes without any knowledge,” Lobo said.
