Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Panjim MLA Sidharth Kuncalienker failed to identify Vinod Desai, charged with cheating a youth, during a case hearing before Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) on Monday. In view of this, the witness has been declared hostile.
Desai is accused of duping job seekers while promising them government jobs. Kuncalienker, in his deposition denied knowing Desai stating he cannot recollect having ever met him.
Advocate Aires Rodrigues, who is representing complainant Mervin Fernandes, submitted eight photographs of Desai very closely interacting with Kuncalienker at BJP occasions while also informing the JMFC that Desai headed the party booth panel at Sao Pedro, which forms part of the Panjim Assembly Constituency. Rodrigues will cross examine Kuncalienker on November 25.
As per the complaint, Desai while allegedly working in the office of Union Minister Shripad Naik at Sao Pedro had promised Fernandes a government job at the Secretariat on payment of Rs 6 lakh for which he had taken an advance of Rs 2 lakh.
Having failed to secure the job, Fernandes demanded a refund of the amount paid and after repeated reminders Desai on June 28, 2017 issued the former a cheque of Rs 1 lakh but it had bounced. On September 20, last year, 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 this too bounced following which the Old Goa Police registered an FIR against him on September 25.
