Adv. Aires Rodrigues will meet Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday 23rd June at Raj Bhavan and seek his intervention to ensure the criminal prosecution of Goa Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes’s son Raymond Fernandes for having submitted a fake BA degree while applying for the post of Awal Karkun at the North Goa Collectorate.
Pointing out that the North Goa Collector by an order issued on 16thJune has rightly rejected the candidature of Raymond Fernandes who was one of the 16 selected in January this year for the post of Awal Karkun, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that it was however shocking that the authorities had not yet initiated criminal proceedings against Raymond Fernandes for having submitted that false and fabricated BA degree.
Stating that the BA degree from Lucknow based Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad was submitted by Raymond Fernandes knowing very well that it was forged and fabricated, Adv. Rodrigues has pointed out that in terms of Section 471 of the Indian Penal Code it is a cognizable offence for whoever fraudulently or dishonestly uses as genuine any document which he knows is a forged document.
Further stating that this whole conspiracy of submitting that fake degree by Raymond Fernandes could not have been done without the active collusion with his father and politically well connected Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes, Adv. Rodrigues has further stated that the people of Goa are entitled to know the modus operandi adopted by Raymond Fernandes to procure that fake BA degree and the agents if any who were involved.
Adv. Rodrigues has also stated that stringent action in this matter would send a strong and deterrent message to those job seekers venturing to hoodwink the authorities by submitting forged and fabricated educational certificates.
In my humble submission
if a person has allegedly submitted a fake degree for a job, let the Govt prima facie
a ) reject the candidature of the individual and
b) prosecute him under the relevant provisions of the law.
Now the Govt has done a) and as a corollary and it has to pursue with b)
If it does not the relevant Govt authority/ies should be prosecuted for dereliction of their duties.
Implicating the family member of the individual is unfair, unless concrete evidence of abatement is placed on record before the prosecution.