CHEATING CASE AGAINST RAMAKANT KHALAP: AIRES MOVES COURT

PANJIM: Adv. Aires Rodrigues today filed a petition before the Panaji Judicial Magistrate First Class against the Panaji Police Inspector Sandesh Chodankar for not registering an F.I.R of cheating and misrepresentation against the former Union Law Minister and current Goa Law Commission Chairman Mr. Ramakant Khalap. The petition will come up for hearing before the Magistrate on 20th Jan.

Adv. Rodrigues on January 17th had filed a complaint at the Panaji Police Station against Mr. Ramakant Khalap for having falsely stated that the International Arbitration Centre was being set up in collaboration with the Goa Government.

In his complaint to the Panaji Police Adv. Aires Rodrigues has also named as accused Adv. Cleofato Coutinho, Adv. Mario Pinto Almeida and Mr. V.K.Agarwal who are the other trustees of a private trust “Goa Organization of Law Finance and Education” formed by them along with Mr. Ramakant Khalap.

In his petition before the JMFC, Adv. Rodrigues has sought directions to the Panaji Police Inspector to register the F.I.R and expeditiously investigate the case.

Stating that the police had not registered the F.I.R even after 48 hours inview of the political clout enjoyed by Mr. Ramakant Khalap.

Stating that the Supreme Court had given clear directives that an F.I.R had to be registered within 24 hours, Adv. Rodrigues has sought that the Court now monitor the investigation of the case.

After Mr. Ramakant Khalap announced that the International Arbitration Centre was being set up by his private trust in collaboration with the Government of Goa, Adv. Rodrigues sought information under RTI from the Law Department whether the Government was infact aware that the said International Arbitration Centre was being set up in collaboration with the Government of Goa.

The Law Department while informing Adv. Rodrigues that it had no information on the setting up of the International Arbitration centre has also informed him that no action has yet been initiated against the trust headed by Mr. Ramakant Khalap for illegally and unauthorizedly using the name of the Government as a collaborator in the setting up of the trust.

It may be recalled that the International Arbitration Centre which was being set up by a private trust, “Goa Organization of Law Finance and Education” was scheduled to be inaugurated on 4th January by Union Law Minister Dr. Veerappa Moily in the presence of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court. Mr. Ferdino Rebello. The function was however cancelled on 3rd Jan.

The International Arbitration Centre was being set up by a private trust set up by Goa Law Commission Chairman Ramakant Khalap along with commission members Adv. Cleofato Coutinho and Adv. Mario Pinto Almeida. The fourth member of the trust is one Mr. V.K.Agarwal from Delhi.