the goan I network
PANAJI
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, members of Goa Women’s Forum (GWF) protested against financial frauds. The forum members were carrying posters saying that the government must act against illegal non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) in the State and Goa Police must act against Ponzi schemes.
Lorna Fernandes, convenor, GWF, said, “We are raising voice against women being cheated by banking institutions and also NBFCs in the State. Martha Fernandes, from Ambaulim, was cheated when an agent of Citrus Check Inns sold her a fixed deposit (FD) by promising that her investment would double in six years. After three years, they asked her for FD certificate. It was then that she realised that she was actually sold a holiday package. There are many people in the State who were approached by the agents of Citrus Check Inns for similar schemes.”
Fernandes continued, “In another case, Maria Mascrenhas from Thivim was duped of her gold worth Rs 19 lakh by one Ajju Sindolli. Sindolli connived with two officials from Bank of India called Ravindra Patil and Bipinchandra M Wagle to dupe Maria of her gold. We are going to the regional office of Bank of India to talk to them about this issue.”
The members of GWF have also decided to go to the office of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to bring such cases to their notice.
GWF also raised a demand to have two full-fledged police stations in the state dealing specifically in cases affecting women. They also said that domestic violence cases against women should be handled by a separate government officer and not by a block development officer (BDO).
A member of GWF said, “A BDO has several other responsibilities as well. Therefore, we think that the government must appoint one officer specifically to deal with cases about domestic violence against women.”
