Team Herald
Mapusa: The Mapusa Merchants Association headed by president Shripad Sawant along with shop owners on Sunday gathered outside the Mapusa police station demanding immediate arrest of RTI activist Jawaharlal Shetye.
They further confronted the Mapusa PI Paresh Naik over the delay in arresting Shetye who they allege misuses documents availed under RTI to blackmail them.
They were reiterating the demand for Shetye’s arrest after the Chief Officer (CO) of the Mapusa Municipality had filed a complaint against the activist for forging his signature and further issuing notices to some shop owners.
The CO Amitesh Shivoikar in his complaint stated that between February 15 and March 31, 2023, the alleged accused Shetye resident of Khorlim, Mapusa intentionally impersonated his signature and prepared a valuable document by forging the content on the Notice for hearing issued by the Complainant i.e. name of defaulters, date and time of hearing, which differed from the original notice for hearing and thereafter knowingly used and issued forged notice for hearing as genuine to various persons as defaulter for proceeding / hearing before the complainant to harm the reputation of persons thereby cheating the complainant and others.
An offence under section 170, 205, 464, 465,466, 468, 469, 471, 474 IPC has been registered against him and Mapusa police are further investigating the case.
