the goan I network
MARGAO
The Margao police has obtained vital documents from the Margao Municipal Council in respect of the case pertaining to the issuance of a fake non-availability certificate by forging the signature of the municipal Sub-Registrar and for using the seal of the civic body to obtain the certificate.
In fact, after obtaining the records from the civic body, the Margao police has referred the matter to the Public Prosecutor for opinion before registering an FIR.
“I think it is a strong case given that the Municipality is not authorised to issue non-availability certificates of births registered before 1971. The moment, the police receive the opinion from the Public Prosecutor, the police would register the FIR,” said Margao PI Kapil Naik.
Margao Municipal Council Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes had on February 14 requested the Margao police to carry out investigations in the case through custodial interrogation and book the culprits involved in the racket in accordance with the provisions of the IPC.
In his two-page complaint, the Chief Officer had stated that his office has received a copy of an order passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao. The order, the complaint stated, is supported by a non-availability certificate purportedly issued on or about March 4, 2016. “Para 4 of the said judgement clearly states that the person, who has denied benefit of the non-availability certificate, who was born on November 6, 1966,” the complaint stated.
The Chief Officer’s complaint further stated that the Sub-Registrar attached to the Margao Municipal Council has records of births & deaths only since the period beginning from 1971 and hence the question of issuing any non-availability certificate of an anterior period does not arise. Secondly, the complaint stated that the signature of the issuing authority has also been forged as the signature on the said certificate dated March 4, 2016 is not of the Sub-Registrar attached to the Municipality. Thirdly, the complaint stated that the seal of the office as reflected in the said non-availability certificate also does not belong to the Municipal office.
