NT Reporter
Panaji
The state government has placed Superintendent of Police Edwin Colaco under suspension for allegedly registering his birth and marriage in Portugal.
Sources said the suspension order was issued on June 15 by the Directorate of Vigilance on the directions of the state government. An official said that as disciplinary proceedings against Colaco are being contemplated, he has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.
According to information available, registering a birth in Portugal is the first step towards reclaiming Portuguese nationality. Sources said the matter dates back around 18 years and that Colaco had first registered his birth and later his marriage.
At the time of his suspension, Colaco was serving
as Superintendent of Police of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS). Sources said authorities had obtained various details related to the
dmatter, including his overseas travel records.
It may be recalled that in October 2014, Panaji police registered a first information report (FIR) against two police officers, advocates and others in connection with a dual citizenship case. The FIR was registered on the directions of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Panaji.
The complainant, Kashinath Shetye of Ribandar, had approached the court after police failed to register an FIR. The FIR named former Superintendent of Police Jose Allen D’Sa, Edwin Colaco, who was then a police inspector, 43 advocates, six unidentified persons working under the High Court of Bombay at Goa, 500 unidentified serving or retired government employees in Goa, and other individuals.
The Panaji police later filed a closure report in the case, stating that citizenship matters fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the central government.
