lNavelim parish priest duped of Rs 48,500 lConman claimed to be a priest in Rome lPromises gift of Rs 1.30 lakh for priest and church
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Parish priest of Navelim Church was cheated of Rs 48,500 by a crook claiming to be a priest in Rome, who promised to send Rs 1.30 lakh as a gift in return.
Fr Cruz Alexandre Fernandes, hailing from Betalbatim and presently the parish priest of Navelim parish was requested to deposit a total amount of Rs 50,000 in a account number given by the accused towards bank transfer expense and process fee.
In his complaint with the police Fr Fernandes stated that on May 20, he received a call from a mobile number and that the person phoning claimed that he was a priest in Rome. Fr Fernandes claims that this priest who phoned him told him that he wished to send Fr Fernandes an amount of Rs 80,000 as a gift from him to be shared equally by Fr Fernandes and for the Navelim church.
The said priest is said to have requested Fr Fernandes to deposit an amount of Rs 14,500 in the bank account given by him towards bank transfer expense and process fee and later request for a further amount of Rs 10,000 an Rs 15,000, which the Navelim priest deposited in the given account number.
However, on Wednesday May 22, the said priest from Rome again called the Navelim parish priest requesting him to deposit Rs 10,000 as he wanted to send Rs 1.30 lakh and the amount sent would not cover the expenses. Believing that the caller was a priest who was serious in sending the donation the Navelim parish priest readily deposited only Rs 9,000. Later when he tried to contact the said priest on his mobile, it was found switched off. It was then that the Navelim parish priest suspected something fishy and suspected that he was cheated by the conman. On Wednesday evening Fr Fernandes filed a complaint with the police which is being investigated by PSI Melwin Colaco.
An offence of cheating under section 420 has been registered against the unknown priest by Margao police.
