PANJIM: The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Panjim on Friday directed that a Non- Bailable Warrant (NBW) be issued against Vinod Desai, charged with allegedly cheating a job seeker, for failing to be present in court in connection with the case.
In November last, Mervin Fernandes initiated criminal proceedings against Desai after being duped on a promise of a government job at Secretariat. Desai had claimed he was working in the office of Union Minister Shripad Naik at Sao Pedro.
In his deposition as a witness in the case on June 12, the Union Minister denied that Desai was employed by him but the latter is known to him as his father worked in his office.
Naik further testified to the court that on September 26, 2018 his office had written to the Old Goa Police Station that Desai was not their staff.
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, Adv Aires Rodrigues, who is representing the local 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 handover 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.
The JMFC has now adjourned the matter for further hearing on July 5 with the direction to issue NBW on the alleged accused.
