SC refuses to accept MHA order on Caitu's Portuguese citizenship
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 27 November 2013 20:50 IST
Benaulim MLA Caitan alias Caitu Silva received a shot in the arms today as the Supreme Court refused to accept the order of the union home ministry, declaring him a Portuguese citizen.
This was also confirmed by chief minister Manohar Parrikar during his media briefing today.
The apex court has directed Valanka Alemao, the respondent, to produce the 'original order' of MHA before the Bombay high court and get a decision on it.
The matter has thus been now referred back to the Bombay high court at Panaji.
The Supreme Court has been hearing Caitu’s special leave petition, challenging the high court order with regard to the petition filed by Valanka Alemao, who was defeated by the former in Assembly election held last year.
The apex court had served a deadline of today to Alemao to produce an authenticated document to prove that Caitu is a Portuguese citizen.
The court however did not accept the order passed by the union home ministry, which states that Caitu is not Indian but a Portuguese citizen.
The court however apparently insisted on a documents signed by the Portuguese government, stating that Caitu is a citizen of Portugal.
Valanka, the Congress candidate from Benaulim, had approached the Bombay high court at Panaji, seeking Caitu’s disqualification claiming that he had registered his birth in Portugal.
As no foreign citizen can contest election in Indian Union, Valanka had prayed that Caitu be disqualified and she be declared the winner in Benaulim.
Caitu had challenged the petition, while requesting the high court to reject Valanka’s petition.
The high court however had dismissed Caitu’s petition on 5 July, after which Caitu had challenged the order in the Supreme Court.
Hearing on this petition has been going on in the apex court since then.
Meanwhile, the union home ministry had confirmed, after inquiry through Indian embassy in Portugal, that Caitu is a Portuguese citizen.
The apex court however has not agreed to accept the MHA order as the valid document of Caitu’s Portuguese citizenship.
In a Press Statement Churchill Alemao, a convicted Goan smuggler has claimed he has been assisting Goans to get Portuguese Passports.
Knowing his shady character and those of several member's of his family too, he has probably also assisted non-Goans in obtaining Portuguese Passports.
No doubt he was not assisting these desperate Goan folk, out of the kindness of his heart or free of charge or free of his personal service fees. It is just not his style.
I also wonder if he has advised these Goans on some of the pitfalls and other statutory/mandatory requirements ,once they have obtained their Portuguese Passports.
I believe this is highly unlikely. His Passport academics do not stretch very far.
Today ,many Goans are convinced that the Alemaos believe, that they are much more Supreme than the Supreme Court.
What is even more weird and nonsensical, is that the Alemao`s believe the Legal system works in reverse.
Instead of filing a FIR with the local police and then progressing to the High & Supreme Courts, they have GONE TO THE High Court & Supreme COURT & now down-grading to A FIR.
How weird....specially having a Trained Advocate in the family.