Goa Archbishop petitions JMFC to cancel summonsSPECIAL CORRESPONDENT SHARE <http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=20> · PRINT<http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article2345663.ece?css=print> · T+<http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article2345663.ece#>
Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao has petitioned the Panaji Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) seeking that the summons issued to him be cancelled. JMFC Sarika Faldessai will decide on August 12 the application filed by the Archbishop after hearing arguments by his lawyer and Aires Rodrigues. The Archbishop is one of the 10 witnesses Mr. Rodrigues has sought to examine in his defence in the case in which he and 14 others are being prosecuted for allegedly having trespassed into the corridor of the Ribandar Church on August 16, 2004, and disturbed a meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council. Opposing the Archbishop's application, Mr. Rodrigues submitted to the court that it was a well devised ploy to delay the proceedings of the case. On August 2, as the Archbishop had sought two weeks to challenge before the Bombay High Court Bench here the summons issued to him, the court gave him time till August 16. Now in his application to the JMFC, the Archbishop has stated that he has been advised to move the JMFC for cancellation of the summons issued to him. Stating that he is the religious head of the Catholic community in Goa, the Archbishop, in his application, accused Mr. Rodrigues of summoning him merely to embarrass him. Further stating that his appearing as a witness in the case will not advance the interests of justice, the Archbishop in his application to the court has contented that it will only cause avoidable embarrassment to him. Meanwhile, Mr. Rodrigues, in an application to the JMFC, has sought that the present Parish Priest of Ribandar Alcantara Rodrigues be summoned to produce copies of the minutes of the meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council held on August 15, 2004. Mr. Rodrigues and 14 other Ribandar residents are being prosecuted for allegedly trespassing into the Ribandar Church corridor on August 16, 2004 and disturbing a meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council. Mr. Rodrigues was then leading an agitation demanding action against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13-year- old girl from Ribandar. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article2345663.ece-- DEV BOREM KORUM Gabe Menezes.
