Panaji Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Artikumari Naik today directed that a Non-bailable warrant be issued against the alleged job scamster Vinod Desai for failing to be present in Court in the criminal case filed against him by a Merces youth Mervin Fernandes. The Court has adjourned the trial to 5th July.
In November last year Mervin Fernandes represented by Adv. Aires Rodrigues initiated criminal proceedings against Vinod Desai after being duped on a promise of a government job. Vinod Desai a resident of Old Goa while flouting his connection with politicians has allegedly over the last few years duped hundreds of young job seekers to the tune of crores of rupees.
Vinod Desai while claiming to be working for Union Minister Shripad Naik had promised Mervin Fernandes a government job at the Secretariat on payment of six lakhs and had taken an advance of two lakhs. Having failed to secure the job Mervin Fernandes demanded a refund and Vinod Desai on 28th June 2017 issued him a cheque of one lakh as part refund but that cheque bounced.
On 20th September last year Mervin Fernandes lodged a complaint at the Old Goa Police Station and Vinod Desai on being summoned handover a cheque of Rs three lakhs as full and final settlement but that cheque also bounced after which the Old Goa Police on 25th September registered an F.I.R of cheating against Vinod Desai under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code.
On being summoned by the JMFC to testify and give material evidence on what he knew about the case, Shripad Naik in his deposition earlier this month stated that he knew the accused Vinod Desai for the last 10 to 15 years and that he sometimes used to visit his house but was never employed by him though his father worked for him. Shripad Naik further testified that his office on 26th September last year had written to the Old Goa Police Station that Vinod Desai was not his staff.
