Churchill & family Portuguese too, asserts Caitu’s PA Gomes *December 6, 2013*
Files complaint at Colva police station with supporting documents TEAM HERALD teamher...@herald-goa.com MARGAO: In an interesting development in the Portuguese Citizenship row, Personal Assistant to Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva Elvis Gomes on Thursdayknocked the doors of the Colva police with a plea to register FIRs against former PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao, wife Fatima and children for registering their marriages and births in Portugal. “Churchill has registered his marriage in Portugal. His wife, son Savio and daughters Sara, Wanda, Sharon and Aninha are now all Portuguese citizens after they got their births registered in Portugal in 2009”, Elvis told the media after lodging his complaint with documents with the Colva police accompanied by his lawyer, Adv Byron Rodrigues, on Thursday noon. Gomes has prayed to the Colva police to initiate action under the provision of the Foreigners Act 1946, Registration of Foreigner Act 1939 and the Passport Act 1967. In his complaint, Gomes maintained that since the Prescribed Authority in the Home Ministry on November 20 had declared that Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva as a Portuguese citizen since 2010, the same logic should be applicable to all the seven named in the complaints, having registered their birth and marriage in Portugal and hence liable to face the same legal consequences. “Under the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, it is mandatory for a foreigner entering, or being present in India to report his presence to a Prescribed Authority. But this has not been done and such the seven persons have violated the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939”, Gomes stated in his complaint. Documents submitted by Gomes stated that while Sara, Wanda, Savio, Aninha, Sharon had registered their births on September 22, 2009, Churchill’s wife had registered her birth on December 15, 2008. As per the documents, it is alleged that Churchill had registered his marriage in Portugal on February 18, 2009. When contacted, Colva police station in-charge, PI Uttam Raut Desai told the media that he would seek the advice of higher-ups before initiating action. “I would discuss the matter with the district police chief before taking a decision”, PI Desai said. When Herald contacted the district police chief, he said the police will take suitable action on the complaints filed against the Alemao family.
