Forgery case against Labour Commissioner
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 8
The newly-appointed Commissioner of Labour & Employment Fatima Rodrigues has apparently invited trouble for herself following a complaint by social activist Adv Aires Rodrigues of forgery and cheating.
Adv Rodrigues today filed a complaint suspecting Fatima of forging the letterhead and his signature in a representation letter to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on June 10.
Speaking to reporters, Deputy Superintendent of Police Deu Benaulikar informed the complaint was registered under Sections 419, 420, 468, 469 and 471 of Indian Penal Code even as Fatima will be summoned for inquiry.
In the same breath, he said the investigation will proceed in the right direction.
Earlier, when the activist scanned through the representation documents, he discovered that someone had impersonated his name and forged his signature.
The representation to the Chief Minister was against further extension to former labour commissioner V B N Raikar, who was already granted one-year extension to retire on June 30, 2010.
Para two of the alleged forged representation quoted a High Court judgment that no government employee who has superannuated from his services should be granted an extension. It further mentioned that a superannuated government employee could be granted 6 months extension in service with cogent reasons.
“…V B N Raikar who is presently acting as the Commissioner of Labour & Employment has superannuated on 30.06.2009 and the Government has already given him extension in service for 1 year…” read an extract from the representation copy.
The FIR has been registered against Fatima as suspect, who is apparently moving anticipatory bail today.
“I suspect that the person, who has done so, is the one, who has benefited from the representation i.e. Fatima Rodrigues, who has since taken over as the Commissioner of Labour & Employment…However, this is my suspicion and it is for the police to investigate and nab the culprit,” Rodrigues mentioned in his complaint letter to Panjim police.
Fatima was elevated to the post of Labour Commissioner on Tuesday.
