The Goa Police at Headquarters Panaji, have now
spread a dragnet to nab one "CIVIL ENGINEER" Mr.
Mario do Socorro Trinidade Achilles, 48 now believed
to be "untraceable" from Pulwado Benaulim Salcete Goa
, following a First Information Report (FIR)
registered against him by the Engineering Officer
Public Works Division Altinho Panaji, Mr D K Prabhu
Shastri ( now retired on attaining the age or
superannuation) for filing a FORGED certificate and
obtaining their PWD registration No:4/84; claiming to
have completed the Diploma in Engineering (Civil) and
also passed the final examination in June 1983
securing second class from the Board of Technical
Education Thiruvananthapuram Govt of Kerala.
This writer who had reported the matter 30/3/2006 as a
tip off to this impending event, now learnt that the
Archdiocese of Goa and Daman had during the tenure of
Fr Boulais Da Costa (now Parish Priest of Our Lady of
Rosary Church (Chapel) Fatorda) engaged the services
of this civil engineer heading the firm M/s Archilles
Gracias Consultancy Pulvado Benaulim (as registered
civil engineers planning designers valuers and
consultants ) for undertaking the responsibility for
the alteration, reconstruction etc of the Chapel of
Our Lady of Piety (built in 1758 at Monte Chandor in
2004, for an extimated amount of over Rs 18 lacs
collected by way of large donations from well wishers
mainly natives of Chandor and partly from the
Archdiocese.
Even the Secretariat of Fabricas/Confres Archbishop s
House, Altinho Panaji did not have any reason to
suspect the credentials of the Architect/Engineer
before entrusting the job, to Mr Gracias considering
his reputation and social standing until some
parishioners are believed to have protested the works
for fear of damage by way of reconstruction to the
aesthetics of the Chapel façade.
Following this melee the investigations initiated by
this parishioners finally appeared to have yielded
results . A copy of the alleged forged certificate
presented by Mr Archilles was obtained from the PWD
records and probed for its contents with the Joint
Controller of Technical Examinations Thiruvanantha
puram. On 16.2.2006 a confirmation was obtained in
that " no candidate bearing the name of Mr Gracias was
permitted to attend final year Diploma examination in
civil engineering and no student bearing registraion
number 4697 was sent up for that exam in June 1983 and
that the certificate ( a fascimile which was sent to
them ) was a FALSE one".
When this matter was brought to the notice of the
Directorate of Vigilance, Altinho, Panaji, Goa , the
Addln.Director Vigilance Mr A W Rane took cognizance
of the same and on 29/3/2006 directed the Principal
Engineer of the Public Works Department to cancel the
registration and file an FIR .
According to sources in the Police department the case
has since been registered under sections 468, 471, 420
of the Indian Penal Code and arrest is imminent in the
days to come.
When this writer contacted the top officials of the
Archdiocese of Goa & Daman earlier they were non
commital on the action they propose to take,
apparently they are awaiting the law to take its own
course. The plain clothes policemen scouting the area
has also been the subject of debate in the otherwise
quite village in the suburbs of Margao when this
writer visited the same. Many claimed that Mr Gracias
was otherwise not known to be a bright student in
school at Loyola High School in Margao and many had
doubts on his credentials especially considering the
fact that he flouted a Government Diploma from
distant Kerala. His prominent social standing appears
to have served as an eyewash for his misdemeanours.
When this writer tried to contact the Parish Priest
of Nossa Senhora de Belem, Chandor Fr Tony Salema Tel
+91 0832 2784002 he was informed by Fr Mariano
Silveira the Asst Parish Priest that Fr Salema had
gone abroad and feigned ignorance on the roll of Mr
Gracias in the Chapel construction having been posted
there only in June 2006. Later Fr Silveira directed
this writer to contact Fr Boulais da Costa the ex
Parish Priest of Chandor (incidentally some claim
though unconfirmed that Fr Da Costa is indeed a
distant relative of Mr Gracias and hails from
Sernabattim Colva) for necessary information.
Following a tele-talk with Fr Da Costa, Mobile
9850453717 (+ 91 0832 2741149 ) this evening, Fr Da
Costa feigned ignorance of what appeared in an
English daily yesterday (regarding FIR and police
action against Mr Gracias) and also on a Weekly two
weeks ago but claimed to have been told about it only
this morning. He stated that he was busy with the
novenas and would "read the newspaper today night".
When asked why was a Chartered Engineer who was
registered with the Institute of Engineers
Maharashtra/Goa Council, or an Architect registered
by the Council of Architects, Goa Chapter not
selected, Fr Da Costa claimed that Mr Gracias, was
selected by a panel of members of the Fabrica besides
him to undertake re-construction and other works at
Chapel of Our Lady of Piety, Monte Chandor and there
was no reason then to doubt his credentials as he had
executed many civil works for the Archdiocese of Goa
and Daman for several years and even in Karwar
besides several private houses. He has yet to read
more details on the present issue. The attempt of
this writer to contact Mr Bharat Naik the Asst
Engineer presently officiating as an Engineering
Officer (in the vacancy of Prabhushashtri) +91 0832
2224984 yielded no results as he "was busy in a
meeting"
Meanwhile this writer has learnt after making discreet
enquiries that Mr Gracias has also registered himself
with Municipal bodies, Planning and Development
Authorities in the State and the respective Chief
Officers, Member Secretaries, are now examing the
files to ascertain the nature of technical testimonial
presented to them, for initiating similar action and
cancellation.
Several persons who this writer spoke to also blamed
the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman who allow civil
engineers etc to undertake civil works without
ascertaining their credentials, it appears that the
only assignment of Parish priests is to undertake such
works apparently to leave their mark in the Parish.
Earlier when fly by night financial companies came to
Goa and duped Goans it was the Parish priests that
were "roped" in to inaugurate such finance companies,
who have finally left the investors in a lurch and
unending legal battles.
It is also now learnt that following this revelation
the Government is likely to issue directions to all
the Departments of the Government to ensure the
veracity of the testimonials before renewing the same.
GODFREY J I GONSALVES
BORDA MARGAO GOA
9822158584
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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