The Goa Police have told the court that there was no substance in the allegations by the Aam Aadmi Party that Goa’s Minister for Public Works had filed a false affidavit saying that he was a graduate.
Making submissions before the trial court in Panaji, the police said on verification, it was found that the allegations were not true.
“The allegations made by the applicants in the present proceedings of forgery, false documents and/or allegations contained in the communication dated June 25, are denied,” Police Inspector Ponda Sudesh Naik said in his statement to the trial court. The AAP had filed a police complaint against the Minister alleging forgery of documents faking education degrees in his affidavit filed before the Election Commission ahead of the State Assembly elections.
The police, however, didn’t file an FIR forcing AAP member Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar to approach the court to get an FIR lodged.
In June, AAP in its complaint, had claimed Dhavalikar did not pass BSc in 1979 as claimed by the Minister and that he had allegedly lied on a sworn affidavit filed before the poll authorities.
Dhavalikar has denied the charges saying he had in fact passed his BSc and produced a certificate of his BSc (subsidiary) examination to that effect. AAP, however, said passing the BSc subsidiary examination didn’t make one a graduate and hence his claim was false.
“The present proceedings would not be maintainable and at rate are devoid of any substance and consequently liable to be dismissed on this count alone,” the police said.
The Police have also said that a police team was also deputed to visit the Mumbai university to verify the allegations.
The next hearing has been scheduled for September 23.