PANJIM: Domnic D’Souza, Pastor of Five Pillars Church, Sodiem-Siolim and his wife Joan Mascarenhas E D’Souza on Friday appeared before the North Goa Collector regarding externment proceedings initiated against them by the Goa Police.
On the other hand, D’Souza couple have file a petition before the High Court of Bombay at Goa challenging the show cause notices issued to them and have prayed to quash and to set aside externment proceedings against them.
During the hearing before the Collector, Adv Ankur Kumar representing the D’Souza couple filed an application requesting for a copy of the police report filed against them. The Collector gave him the copy of the report and posted the matter for next hearing on January 19.
“The matter is fixed for reply. This was the first appearance. Next hearing is scheduled on January 19,” Adv Kumar said adding they have full faith in the judiciary.
North SP Nidhin Valsan had on January 4 written to the North Goa Collector to start externment proceedings against Pastor Domnic D’Souza and his wife Joan Mascarenhas for their alleged involvement in offences like magic remedies and hurting of religious sentiments.
The police had asked the Collector to extern Domnic from the State of Goa, and Joan from North Goa district, for “maximum period” i.e. not less than two years.
The police in its report has stated that the D’Souza couple are notorious criminals and that six cases under IPC are pending against them.
On January 1 this year, the Mapusa police had arrested Domnic D’Souza alleging his involvement in conversion and black magic activities following a complaint by one Vadivel B, a native of Tamil Nadu and presently residing at Curti-Ponda.
Meanwhile, the Goa Christian Federation will hold a peaceful protest and hunger strike at Azad Maidan, Panjim on Monday, January 15, to express their solidarity with Domnic D’Souza and his wife Joan.
The Federation is demanding to stop externment proceedings against the Pastor and his wife and to take legal action and arrest of the stranger, who filed a false complaint against the duo.
The signatories Fr Savio Fernandes, Adv Vikas Waghmare and Adv John Samuel have also demanded legal action against the police, who maliciously arrested the Pastor without following the legal procedure.
They have further demanded to stop activities of polarisation against the minority community and their religious sentiments besides demanding security to their Church property, people and their Constitutional rights.