PANJIM: Pop singer Remo Fernandes has charged the accident victim’s sister of demanding Rs three lakh as compensation from him as he filed an anticipatory bail application before the Children’s Court, claiming innocence and being falsely implicated in the case.
The petition, filed through advocate Rajeev Gomes on Thursday mentions that Remo had agreed to pay Rs 50,000 to the victim as a ‘goodwill gesture’ although the cost of the medical expenses, food and accommodation of the injured girl and her sister was calculated to Rs 25,000 to Rs 28,000.
The Padmashree awardee claims that the priest from Malvan, Fr Andrew D’Mello, had conceded that Jonah Fernandes, who was driving the car was not at fault. Fr D’Mello had then advised Remo to financially support the victim, as she hails from a poor financial background.
“Fr Andrew took the applicant aside and spoke thus: “We don’t want to ask you for any money or compensation, as we know it is not your fault, it is nobody’s fault, it is the buffaloes’ fault. But this family is not well to do, and they don’t have a father, so we request you to please take care of the girl’s treatment and medicine expenses, as well as the travel and stay of the family members who will stay with Helen until she leaves GMC. They will sign an affidavit clearing you of any blame; at that time, you please give them enough to make up for their expenses,” the petition reads
It was thereafter, that Remo said, the total expense was calculated to about Rs 25,000 to Rs 28,000 but he doubled it to Rs 50,000. However, the victim’s sister allegedly turned down the compensation amount and instead demanded Rs three lakh.
“To the horror and surprise of the applicant, the younger sister of the injured in a very rude and impolite manner, began demanding payment of nothing short of Rs three lakh at the moment. The applicant states that when the applicant asked her why she is demanding so much, her reply was “Because you have prestige,” the application states.
The conversation took place in Ward 105 at Goa Medical College where the 17-year-old is under treatment. Remo, recalled that he then asked her, “So the price of your sister’s accident is relative to the car driver’s prestige? If it is Remo, it is Rs 3 lakh? If it were Ambani, would the price be Rs three crore?”
Assuring her all the required assistance, Remo reiterated that the girl had suddenly come before the car – driven by his son – to escape from the running buffaloes on the road on December 1, 2015. The matter is scheduled for hearing on Friday.
