Rodrigues: Father Newton Rodrigues

Newton Rodrigues (as listed in Canadian Catholic Church Directories as pastor at St. Bernadette’s, Calgary, Alberta)

Antonio Joao Niwton Rodrigues (as listed on Archdiocese of Calgary, Alberta website, 17 June 2011)

Antonio Joao Newton Rodrigues (as listed in the 2010 and 2011 Canadian Catholic Church Directories)

Priest from India.  Ordained 1986.  August 2004 allegations of sex abuse of a young girl in Ribandar, India.  The allegations were withdrawn.  The girl allegedly recanted. Allegations followed that a government official intervened in the case to have the charges withdrawn and that there is documentation to prove the allegation.  Father Rodrigues was then responsible for having charges filed against a  group who arrived at his church in Ribandar India to confront him about the abuse allegations: included in the group was a parishioner and lawyer, Aires Rodrigues.  It seems that Aires Rodrigues has been actively contacting people in Canada alleging that Father Newton Rodrigues is a child molester.

Father Rodrigues was ordered to appear in court this year  in relation to the prosecution of the charges against Aires Rodrigues and 13 others who showed up at the church in Ribandar in 2004 : he failed to appear.  In May 2011 Newton Rodrigues  filed a $600,000 defamation lawsuit against lawyer Aires Rodrigues for spreading false allegations of sex assault against him despite the fact that he was exonerated years ago.  In June of 2011 a warrant was issued by authorities in India for the arrest of Father Rodrigues.

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24 April 2014:  Bishop Fred Henry defends Fr. Newton Rodrigues after he is cleared of abuse charges

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Archbishop of Calgary: Frederick B. Henry

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Information from Canadian Catholic Church Directories of 2010 and 2011

April 2013:  Calgary Bishop Fred Henry defends Father Rodrigues

June 2011: warrant issued in India for arrest of Father Rodrigues for his failure to appear in court

May 2011: launced defamation lawsuit against Aires Rodrigues, a lawyer and one of Newton Rodrigues’ former  parishioners in Ribandar, India,

2011:  Pastor, St.  Bernadette RC Church, Calgary, Alberta (pastor listed as Newton Rodrigues ) Listed in index as Antonio Joao Newton Rodrigues

2010:  Pastor, St.  Bernadette (Pastor Listed as Newton Rodrigues)  Listed in index as Antonio Joao Newon Rodrigues.  Shown as incardinated in the Archdiocese of Calgary, Alberta

2006:  arrived in the Archdiocese of Calgary, Alberta

August 2004:  allegations of sex abuse of a young girl in Ribandar, India. The allegations were withdrawn.  The girl allegedly recanted

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digitalgoa.com

18 June 2011

By Aires Rodrigues

A copy of the noting sheets sought by me under the Right To Information Act has revealed that the then Governor of Goa, Mr. S.C Jamir had intervened in the 2004 Ribandar Church molestation case involving the then Ribandar Parish Priest, Fr. Newton Rodrigues.

An F.I.R was registered at the Old Goa Police Station on 18th August 2004 against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13 year old girl. The F.I.R was registered against him under Sec 354 of IPC and Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act. The mother in her complaint had stated that Fr. Newton Rodrigues had taken the minor girl to his bedroom on the pretext of confession and had molested her.

The information obtained under the Right to Information Act has further revealed that Fr. Newton Rodrigues in his statement to the police stated that while he was pointing to the pendant worn by the minor girl, his hand by mistake touched her breast. Fr. Newton Rodrigues also stated that when the victim’s mother came and abused him after the incident he had apologized to the mother of the victim.

After the investigation of the case was carried out, the then Senior Superintendent of Police (Crime) on 30th August 2004 opined that the Fr. Newton Rodrigues be charge sheeted. A draft charge sheet was also prepared. The Director of Prosecution had also opined that it was a fit case for charge sheeting the accused priest Fr Newton Rodrigues.

On 17th September 2004 the Investigating Officer of the case Inspector Mrs. Ezilda D’Souza who incidentally hails from Ribandar sought advice from her superiors whether the charge sheet against Fr. Newton Rodrigues was to be filed with or without arresting him.

On 22nd September 2004 the Superintendent of Police (Crime) directed that the charge sheet against Fr. Newton Rodrigues be filed without arresting him.

Within four days, on 28th September 2004 the victim girl in a letter to the Director General of Police stated that the complaint against the priest was filed under pressure.

Meanwhile the then Governor Mr. S.C Jamir directed that the case papers be sent to the Public Prosecutor in the High Court and the Advocate General for their recommendation. Governor Jamir also directed that the file be forwarded to him before a final decision is taken.

After an unexplained delay of over six months, on 6th April 2005, the police decide to take the legal opinion of the Public Prosecutor in the High Court and the Advocate General.

On 19th April 2005 the then Public Prosecutor in the High Court S.N.Sardesai opined that the case against the Fr. Newton Rodrigues be closed while strangely noting that the molestation incident is neither true nor entirely false. When the legal opinion of Advocate General Subodh Kantak was sought he declined stating that the accused priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues had consulted him on the issue before he became Advocate General.

On 14th July 2005 the whole file was sent to Governor S.C. Jamir. On 31st August 2005 the police submit a report to the Children’s Court that the case against Fr. Newton Rodrigues be closed.

The question that remains unanswered is as to why and at whose behest Governor S.C Jamir intervened in the matter? Was it to save Fr. Newton Rodrigues from being charge sheeted? The answer only Mr. Jamir who is now retired in Nagaland would know.

The noting sheets also show that the Crime Branch which was handling the case dragged their feet in filing the charge sheet to the benefit of Fr. Newton Rodrigues. If the charge sheet was ready on 30th August 2004 with the approval of the Director of Prosecution why was it not filed immediately? Was it because the Investigating Officer Mrs. Ezilda D’Souza was a parishioner of the same church? Was it also to give Fr. Newton Rodrigues enough time to pressurize the victim girl to withdraw her complaint?

The irony of the whole 2004 Ribandar Church case saga is that while the Crime Branch let Fr. Newton Rodrigues scot free, 13 residents of Ribandar including an 80 year old widow have been charge sheeted for entering the Ribandar Church and questioning Fr Newton Rodrigues on the molestation episode.

(The writer can be contacted on 9822684372 or airesrodrigues@yahoo.com)

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FATHER NEWTON RODRIGUES NOW CHANGES HIS NAME

nizgoenkar.com

Thursday, 16 June 2011

PANJIM:Former Parish Priest of Ribandar Church Father Newton Rodrigues who is currently the Pastor of St. Bernadette Church at Calgary in Canada has reportedly changed his name to Antonio Joao Niwton Rodrigues. The website of the Bishop of Calgary now shows the changed name of Father Newton Rodrigues.

http://www.calgarydiocese.ca/parish-finder/34-st-bernadettes-church-calgary.html

Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today alleged that Father Newton Rodrigues had changed his name to avoid the warrant of arrest issued against him by the Panaji Judicial Magistrate Mrs. Sarika Faldessai.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that he would now request the Court to also issue a warrant of arrest with Father Newton’s new name so that the warrant is not sent back unexecuted on technical grounds.

Adv. Rodrigues has further stated that he would take all legal steps to ensure that Father Newton Rodrigues is brought to Goa to depose in the 2004 Ribandar Chuch case.

In 2004 Adv. Aires Rodrigues was leading an agitation demanding action against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13 year old Ribandar girl.

While Adv. Rodrigues and others were charge sheeted for allegedly confronting Fr. Newton Rodrigues, the case filed against Fr.Newton Rodrigues by the mother of the 13 year old girl who was allegedly molested was closed.

A First Information Report (F.I.R) was registered at the Old Goa Police Station on 18th August 2004 against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested the minor girl. The F.I.R was registered against Fr. Newton Rodrigues under Sec 354 of Indian Penal Code and Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act. The mother in her complaint to the police had stated that Fr. Newton Rodrigues had taken the minor girl to his bedroom on the pretext of confession and had molested her.

Despite the Senior Superintendent of Police (Crime) and the Director of Prosecution having opined that it was a fit case for charge sheeting Fr Newton Rodrigues, the then Governor of Goa Mr. S.C Jamir reportedly intervened to save Fr. Newton Rodrigues from being charge sheeted. On 14th July 2005 the case file against Fr. Newton Rodrigues was sent to Governor S.C. Jamir and on 31st August 2005 the police submitted a report to the Children’s Court that the case against Fr. Newton Rodrigues be closed. Fr. Newton Rodrigues was later relieved from the Archdiocese of Goa and moved to Canada.

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False allegation against Calgary priest sparks suit

Calgary Herald

16 June 2011

By Jason Van Rassel

A false allegation made seven years ago against a Calgary Catholic priest who headed a parish in India has spawned legal action on both sides of the ocean.

Father Newton Rodrigues has filed a defamation suit in Court of Queen’s Bench alleging a former parishioner continues to spread false sexual assault allegations against him even though he was exonerated by authorities in India years ago.

The suit, filed in Calgary last month, seeks $600,000 in damages from Aires Rodrigues, a lawyer in Ribandar, India.

In 2004 Father Rodrigues was accused of molesting a 13-year-old girl while he was a parish priest in Ribandar, a village in the northwestern Indian state of Goa.

According to the statement of claim, the case against Father Rodrigues was dropped when the girl and her parents said they made up the allegation.

“Both the girl and the girl’s mother filed numerous handwritten statements with the police indicating that the allegations were false. The girl’s parents subsequently filed sworn evidence with a Goan court, attesting that the allegations were false. All of the statements requested that the charges and proceedings against Father Newton be dropped,” reads the priest’s statement of claim.

In 2006, Father Rodrigues moved to Calgary, where he is a priest at St. Bernadette Church.

Father Rodrigues’s lawsuit alleges Aires Rodrigues published online reports and sent e-mails to Catholic officials in Calgary and nearly 90 local parishes which repeated the false allegations and alleging the priest was aided by a coverup.

Aires Rodrigues is now the subject of a criminal trial in India relating to the events at the Ribandar parish in 2004. Aires Rodrigues is accused of trespassing for allegedly confronting the priest at the church, accompanied by a group of parishioners.

Father Rodrigues’s lawsuit alleges Aires Rodrigues revived the false allegations to take attention away from his upcoming trespassing trial.

“In or about the fall of 2010, in an effort to divert public attention on the eve of his trial, the defendant published or caused to be published, a series of defamatory articles and blog postings in Goa, India, and the world at large,” reads the statement of claim.

In addition to $600,000, the suit is seeking an injunction against the defendant publishing any further articles about Father Rodrigues and orders requiring published apologies wherever the allegedly defamatory statements appeared.

jvanrassel@calgaryherald.com

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Goa court issues warrant againt Canada-based priest

News One

14 June 2011

Panaji, June 14 (IANS) A Goa court Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against a Roman Catholic priest at present serving at a church in Calgary, Canada, in connection with a criminal complaint he filed in 2004.

First Class Judicial Magistrate Sarika Faldessai issued the warrent Tuesday, directing the police to present Fr. Newton Rodrigues to the courtroom in order to facilitate his deposition in the trial against social activist Aires Rodrigues and 14 others.

The priest in 2004 filed a case against Aires Rodrigues and 14 others for intimidation and arson. But he failed to appear before the court to depose in connection with the case, forcing the magistrate to issue a warrant against him.

A similar warrant issued by the court last week was returned unserved by the Goa Police Crime Branch, claiming that it had been unable to serve it on the priest, who is currently in Calgary.

Newton Rodrigues was earlier in 2004 charged with molesting a 13-year-old girl in Goa. But the case was later closed by the police for lack of evidence.

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Warrant against Newton Rodrigues

Ex-parish priest had faced molestation charge

The Hindu

10 June 2011

Special Correspondent

Sarika Phaldesai, Panaji Judicial Magistrate First Class, on Thursday ordered that a warrant of arrest be issued against Newton Rodrigues, former parish priest of Ribandar in north Goa, for not appearing in court as directed.

The JMFC directed that the warrant be sent to the Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, Goa, for execution.

The JMFC, as a last opportunity, had directed Fr. Rodrigues to be present in court on Thursday in connection with the criminal trial of activist and lawyer Aires Rodrigues and 14 other residents of Ribandar in the 2004 Ribandar Church case.

Being the complainant in the case, Fr. Rodrigues’s deposition is crucial for prosecution.

The court on Thursday began examination of a PWD employee, Cynthia Fernandes, who was a member of the church committee headed by then Ribandar parish priest Fr. Rodrigues.

The other witnesses in the case include Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao, and Conceicao Frois, mother of the minor girl who was allegedly molested by Fr. Newton Rodrigues, among others.

In 2004, Mr. Aires Rodrigues was leading an agitation seeking action against Fr. Rodrigues for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old girl. While Mr. Aires Rodrigues and others were charge sheeted for confronting Fr. Rodrigues, the case filed against Fr. Rodrigues by the mother of the victim was closed.

On August 31, 2005, the police submitted a report to the Children’s Court that the case against Fr. Rodrigues be closed.

Fr. Newton Rodrigues was later relieved of the Archdiocese of Goa and moved to Canada.

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Warrant against Newton Rodrigues

The Hindu

10 June 2011

Special Correspondent

Ex-parish priest had faced molestation charge

Warrant to be sent to the Superintendent of Police for execution

NewtonRodrigues did not appear in court as directed

PANAJI: Sarika Phaldesai, Panaji Judicial Magistrate First Class, on Thursday ordered that a warrant of arrest be issued against Newton Rodrigues, former parish priest of Ribandar in north Goa, for not appearing in court as directed.

The JMFC directed that the warrant be sent to the Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch, Goa, for execution.

The JMFC, as a last opportunity, had directed Fr. Rodrigues to be present in court on Thursday in connection with the criminal trial of activist and lawyer Aires Rodrigues and 14 other residents of Ribandar in the 2004 Ribandar Church case.

Being the complainant in the case, Fr. Rodrigues’s deposition is crucial for prosecution.

The court on Thursday began examination of a PWD employee, Cynthia Fernandes, who was a member of the church committee headed by then Ribandar parish priest Fr. Rodrigues.

The other witnesses in the case include Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao, and Conceicao Frois, mother of the minor girl who was allegedly molested by Fr. Newton Rodrigues, among others.

In 2004, Mr. Aires Rodrigues was leading an agitation seeking action against Fr. Rodrigues for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old girl. While Mr. Aires Rodrigues and others were charge sheeted for confronting Fr. Rodrigues, the case filed against Fr. Rodrigues by the mother of the victim was closed.

On August 31, 2005, the police submitted a report to the Children’s Court that the case against Fr. Rodrigues be closed.

Fr. Newton Rodrigues was later relieved of the Archdiocese of Goa and moved to Canada.

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JMFC issues arrest warrant against Fr Newton Rodrigues ex parish priest of Ribandar

targetgoa.com

09 June 2011

It’s turning out to be a potboiler of a case. Panaji JMFC Mrs Sarika Phaldesai issued a warrant of arrest against former Ribandar Parish priest Father Newton Rodrigues.The warrant under direction of the JMFC is to be sent to the Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch for execution.The JMFC had as a last opportunity directed Fr Rodrigues to be present in court today in the re-opened case against Advocate Aires Rodrigues and 14 Ribandar residents in the 2004 Ribandar Church case.

Fr Rodrigues being the complainant in the case his deposition is crucial for the prosecution. None of the prosecution witnesses have so far deposed against Adv Rodrigues. With some of the witnesses turning hostile, the Assistant Public Prosecutor Frances Noronha has submitted to the court that she was dropping 26 witnesses. The police had in their charge sheet against Adv Rodrigues named 37 witnesses.

The court today began the examination of a PWD employee Cynthia Fernandes, who was a member of the church committee headed by then Ribandar Parish Priest Fr Rodrigues. The examination will continue on June 14.

The court earlier in the day completed the cross examination of then Crime Branch Police sub-inspector Vinayak Mahale who had filed the charge sheet against Adv Rodrigues. He said the case was handed to him on April 5, 2005 by then Crime Branch Inspector Braz Menezes, who had completed the investigation. From April 2005 to the filing of the charge sheet on June 26, 2007 all he did was discuss the case with his superiors.

He also stated that there was a delay of three months in filing the chargesheet due to the time taken to get photocopies of the chargesheet against Adv Rodrigues.

The court will on June 14 also examine Old Goa Police sub-inspector H L Hanshakutti who had initially investigated the case. Crime Branch Police Inspector Menezes will be the last prosecution witness to be examined.

Adv Rodrigues will then examine his witnesses which include Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao, Ms Conceicao Frois, the mother of the minor girl who was allegedly molested by Fr Rodrigues, Michael Fernandes, husband of Ribandar CCP corporator Vivina Nasnodkar who was a panch witness but not examined by the prosecution and Superintendent of Police Bosco George, a parishioner of Ribandar Church and who was ADC to then Goa Governor S C Jamir when the case was filed by the victim’s mother against Fr Rodrigues.

In 2004, Adv Rodrigues led an agitation demanding action against Fr Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13-year-old girl from Ribandar.

While Adv Rodrigues and others were charge sheeted for confronting Fr Rodrigues, Ex-Governor S C Jamir reportedly intervened to save Fr Rodrigues from being chargesheeted. On July 14, 2005, the case filed against Fr Rodrigues was sent to Jamir who intervened in the matter and asked the police to close the case against the Parish Priest.

Following which, on August 31 that year, the police submitted a report to the Children’s Court stating that the case against Fr Rodrigues be treated as closed. Fr Rodrigues was later relieved from the Archdiocese of Goa and moved to Canada.

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FATHER NEWTON RODRIGUES HAS LIED TO THE COURT ALLEGES AIRES

nizgoenkar.com

Sunday, 29 May 2011

PANJIM:The former Parish Priest of Ribandar Fr. Newton Rodrigues who failed to appear in Court in connection with the 2004 Ribandar Church case had in a letter dated 7th March 2011 sent from Canada to the Panjim Judicial Magistrate’s Court claimed that he was not keeping well for over a month because of extremely cold climatic conditions in Canada and so was unable to attend the Court.

Fr Newton Rodrigues in his letter to the court had further stated that it was not possible for him to come down to Goa at an early date as he would be busy with church related work and that other witnesses in the case be first summoned and examined.

Fr. Newton Rodrigues in yet another letter dated May 5th 2011 wrote to the court that he is not able to return to Goa at this time and asked the court to advise him if there is anything else he can do in the matter.

Panjim Judicial Magistrate First Class had on 21st January this year issued summons directing Fr. Newton Rodrigues to be present in courton 1st of March. The summons was faxed to Fr. Newton Rodrigues on the same day and a copy was also sent by courier to St. Bernadette Church at Calgary in Canada where Fr Newton Rodrigues is currently the Pastor. Panjim JMFC Ms Sarika Phaldesai has now directed Fr. Newton Rodrigues to be present in court on 9th June.

The prosecution in the 2004 Ribandar Church case may suffer a sever jolt with Fr. Newton Rodrigues failing to appear in court to depose. It was on Fr. Newton Rodrigues’s complaint that Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 other Ribandar residents were charge sheeted for entering the church and disturbing a church committee meeting. Fr. Newton Rodrigues being the complainant his evidence is vital to the prosecution case.

Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today stated that Fr. Newton Rodrigues in his letters to the Court had lied and was trying all tactics to avoid appearing in court.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that in February this year Father Newton Rodrigues was very much in Goa and had even attended a function at the Calangute Church on 5th February to mark the first mass by a newly ordained priest Fr. Roque Fernandes. Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Father Newton Rodrigues in February was also seen several times at a Margao dental clinic run by Dr. Armando Silva and that Father Newton Rodrigues had also celebrated the silver jubliee of his priesthood at the Seraulim Church near Colva.

Stating that nobody is above the law, Adv. Rodrigues has demamded that Father Newton Rodrigues be brought on warrant back to Goa to pay the price of filing a false and malicious case against 15 Ribandar residents just to save himself from the charges of having alleged molested a 13 year old Ribandar girl.

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JMFC DIRECTS FR NEWTON RODRIGUES TO APPEAR IN COURT ON 9TH JUNE

nizgoenkar.com

Thursday, 26 May 2011

PANJIM:Panjim Judicial Magistrate First Class Ms Sarika Phaldesai today as a last opportunity directed Fr. Newton Rodrigues former Parish Priest of Ribandar to appear in court on 9th June at 10 am in connection with the 2004 Ribandar Church case.

The court will also examine on that day a prosecution witness Mrs. Cynthia Fernandes who was a part of the church committee headed by then Ribandar Parish Priest Fr. Newton Rodrigues.

The JMFC’s direction to Fr. Newton Rodrigues today follows his failure to remain present in Court despite summons having been served on him in Canada where he is currently the Pastor of St. Bernadette Church at Calgary.

It was on Fr. Newton Rodrigues’s complaint that Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 other Ribandar residents were charge sheeted for entering the church and disturbing a church committee meeting.

Prosecution witness Mr. Anil Patil, a TV journalist, who had visited the church on the day of the alleged incident today deposed in court that no commotion was caused by Adv. Aires Rodrigues and other residents when they had come to the Church.

Mr. Patil today deposed that social activist Auda Viegas who was also in the church had told him that Fr. Newton Rodrigues had confessed of having molested the 13 year old Ribandar girl. Mr. Patil also told the court that other residents of Ribandar had complained to him that Fr. Newton Rodrigues had misbehaved with other ladies too.

A panch witness Mr. Ajay Naik who was also examined today turned hostile and told the court that he was not aware of the panchanama which he was made to sign.

The JMFC Sarika Phaldesai today directed that the trial of the case will be expedited by having the hearings every Tuesday and Thursday. The JMFC today adjourned the matter to May 31st when a prosecution witness Mrs. Connie Rosario will be examined.

While Adv. Rodrigues and others were charge sheeted for confronting Fr. Newton Rodrigues, the case filed against Fr.Newton Rodrigues by the mother of the 13 year old girl who was allegedly molested by Fr. Newton has been closed.

A First Information Report (F.I.R) was registered at the Old Goa Police Station on 18th August 2004 against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested the minor girl. The F.I.R was registered against Fr. Newton Rodrigues under Sec 354 of Indian Penal Code and Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act. The mother in her complaint to the police had stated that Fr. Newton Rodrigues had taken the minor girl to his bedroom on the pretext of confession and had molested her.

The then Senior Superintendent of Police (Crime) on 30th August 2004 had opined that the Fr. Newton Rodrigues be charge sheeted. The Director of Prosecution had also opined that it was a fit case for charge sheeting Fr Newton Rodrigues.

However then Governor of Goa Mr. S.C Jamir reportedly intervened to save Fr. Newton Rodrigues from being charge sheeted. On 14th July 2005 the case file was sent to Governor S.C. Jamir and on 31st August 2005 the police submitted a report to the Children’s Court that the case against Fr. Newton Rodrigues be closed. Fr. Newton Rodrigues was later relieved from the Archdiocese of Goa and moved to Canada.

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Fr. Newton Sues Aires For Defamation

GOA Chronicle

Sunday, 22 May 2011 12:13

Former Parish Priest of Ribandar Fr. Newton Rodrigues has filed a defamation suit against Advocate Aires Rodrigues in the Calgary court seeking Canadian $ 600,000 (approximately Rs. 2.5 crore) by way of damages.

Fr. Rodrigues who is now serving as a Pastor of St. Bernadette’s Church in Calgary has sued Adv. Rodrigues in connection with the allegations of he having molested a 13-year-old girl in August 2004.

According to a report in Calgary Sun Fr. Rodrigues has filed the suit against Adv. Rodrigues and reacting to the news item, Adv. Rodrigues said he would respond to it after receiving the notice from the court.

He however revealed that all his statements with regards to the case, were based on documents secured by him under the Right To Information Act.

He said a First Information Report dated 18th August 2004 is registered against Fr Rodrigues at the Old Goa Police Station for having molested a 13-year old girl based a complaint lodged by the girl’s mother.

Further, Fr. Rodrigues in his own statement to the police has admitted that while touching a pendant on the child’s neck, his hand has touched her breast and that he had apologized to the girl’s mother.

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FATHER NEWTON RODRIGUES SUES AIRES RODRIGUES FOR $ 600 K

nizgoenkar.com

Saturday, 21 May 2011

CANADA:Former Parish Priest of Ribandar Father Newton Rodrigues now based at Calgary in Canada is seeking Canadian $ 600,000 (approximately Rs 2.5 crores) by way of damages from Adv. Aires Rodrigues in connection with the allegations made by him in August 2004 regarding the alleged molestation of a 13-year-old girl by Father Newton Rodrigues.

According to a new item published in a Calgary daily “Calgary Sun”, Fr. Newton Rodrigues who is currently Pastor of St. Bernadette’s church in Calgary has initiated defamation proceedings against Adv. Aires Rodrigues in a Calgary Court

Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today stated that he would respond appropriately as and when he receives any notice from the Calgary court.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the details of the allegedly molestation of the minor girl by Father Newton Rodrigues while he was a Parish Priest at Ribandar are all based on documents obtained officially from the Goa Police under the Right to Information Act.

Adv. Rodrigues has further stated that the records show that a First Information Report (F.I.R) was registered at the Old Goa Police Station on 18th August 2004 against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested the 13 year old girl.

The F.I.R was registered against him under Sec 354 of Indian Penal Code and Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act on a complaint filed by the girl’s mother that Fr. Newton Rodrigues had taken her daughter to his bedroom on the pretext of confession and had molested her.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Fr. Newton Rodrigues himself in his written statement to the police had agreed that while he was pointing to the pendant worn by the minor girl, his hand by mistake touched her breast and that when the victim’s mother came and abused him he had apologized to her.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the documents obtained under the RTI Act further show that the police dragged their feet in filing the charge sheet against Fr. Newton Rodrigues despite the Director of Prosecution and the then Senior Superintendent of Police (Crime) having clearly opined that Fr. Newton Rodrigues be charge sheeted.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that it was very evident from the records that after the then Governor of Goa Mr. S.C Jamir had unduly intervened to save Fr. Newton Rodrigues from being charge sheeted that the police submitted a report to the Children’s Court that the case against Fr. Newton Rodrigues be closed.

Reiterating that nobody is above the law, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that as investigation into all crimes and the filing of a charge sheet is to be done by the police, that Governor Mr. S.C.Jamir had no business to interfere in the case and abort the due process of law.

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Priest sues over renewed molestation charges

The Calgary Sun

19 May 2011

Kevin Martin, Calgary Sun

Reviving molestation allegations against a Calgary Catholic priest who was cleared of any wrongdoing has triggered a $600,000 lawsuit against a lawyer.

Fr. Newton Rodrigues is seeking damages against attorney Aires Rodrigues for online articles which suggest a cover-up in the molestation case.

The defamation was repeated in e-mails the lawyer sent to southern Alberta Catholic parishes and to Bishop Fred Henry, the St. Bernadette’s church priest’s statement of claim says.

The document, a copy of which was obtained Thursday by the Calgary Sun, says Aires Rodrigues triggered a police investigation in Ribandar, India, in August, 2004 into false allegations of molestation of a 13-year-old girl.

“In September and October, 2004, both the girl and the girl’s mother filed numerous hand-written statements with the police indicating that the allegations were false,” the claim says.

“The police investigation into Father Newton was later concluded and all charges against him were dropped.”

But after the Indian lawyer was charged last fall with trespassing at the plaintiff’s then-Ribandar Parish church six years earlier, the allegations were revived.

“In an effort to divert public attention on the eve of his trial, the defendant published … a series of defamatory articles and blog postings in Goa, India,” the priest’s lawsuit says.

The publications falsely suggested then-Goan state governor S.C. Jamir helped the priest “duck the law.” it says.

It “falsely claimed that Father Newton was a child molester who had evaded justice solely because of a cover-up and political interference.”

In his emails to Alberta, Aires Rodrigues suggested the Calgary priest avoided prosecution “through an ‘illegal’ closing of the police investigation and an escape to Canada,” the claim states.

“The defamatory communications … meant, and were intended to mean, that Father Newton was an admitted child molester and a threat to children.”

The publications not only spread lies about the priest, but caused him to “fear physical attacks by mobs or individuals incited by the defendant’s false and defamatory allegations.”

A statement of defence disputing the unproven allegations in the Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench claim has not yet been filed.

kevin.martin@sunmedia.ca

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COURT SUMMONS FORMER RIBANDAR PRIEST FR NEWTON RODRIGUES

nizgoenkar.com

Wednesday, 19 January 2011

PANJIM: Panjim Judicial Magistrate First Class Shaikh Shabnam has directed that summons be issued to Fr. Newton Rodrigues to appear in Court on 1st March to depose in the 2004 Ribandar Church case he had filed against Adv. Aires Rodrigues and 14 others.

The then parish Priest of Ribandar Fr. Newton Rodrigues will now have to come back from Canada to depose in the case. He is currently Pastor of St. Bernadette Church at Calgary in Western Canada.

Judge Shabnam has also directed two witnesses Mr. Michael Fernandes and Mr. Lumen Soares be summoned to appear on 10th February to depose in the case. Michael Ferandes a Customs and Central excise employee is the husband of Ribandar CCP Corporator Vivina Nasnodkar.

At the request of Adv. Aires Rodrigues the High Court has directed the JMFC to conduct the trial of the case as expeditiously as possible.

Along with Adv. Aires Rodrigues, 14 other Ribandar residents have been charge sheeted in the case including the 80 year old widow who is now bedridden. The charge sheet is in connection with an incident that allegedly took place in 2004 at the Ribandar Church premises when Adv. Aires Rodrigues was leading an agitation demanding action against Fr. Newton Rodrigues for having allegedly molested a 13 year old girl from Ribandar.

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RTI shows ex-Goa guv helped priest escape molestation charges

Minor girl was molested Devika Sequeira Panaji: Former Goa and Maharashtra governor S C Jamir directly intervened to stall police inon church premises

Deccan Herald

25 October 2010

Devika Sequeira, Panaji, Oct 25, DHNS:

Former Goa and Maharashtra governor S C Jamir directly intervened to stall police investigations into molestation charges against a Goa Catholic priest, thus impeding the course of justice, documents accessed under the Right to Information Act reveal.

The case is significant in the light of the child sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church recently over its cover-up of the endemic clerical abuse. During his visit to the UK last month, Pope Benedict XVI had expressed “deep sorrow for the unspeakable crimes.”

A former chief minister of Nagaland,  Jamir served as governor of Goa from 2004 to July 2008 after which he was moved to Maharashtra.

The case in question dates back to 2004 when an FIR was lodged against a Goa parish priest for molesting a minor girl on church premises.

Fr Newton Rodrigues, who served as parish priest at Ribandar church at the time, was booked under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 8(2) of the Goa Children’s Act by the Old Goa police.

In her complaint, the girl’s mother had said her daughter, 13, was in the church with a group of children when the priest, on the pretext of hearing her confession, led her into his bedroom where he molested her.

After preliminary investigations, the superintendent of police directed that the priest be chargesheeted. The director of prosecution concurred and a draft chargesheet was made out on August 30, 2004. But soon after, Jamir intervened, says activist lawyer Aires Rodrigues, who accessed the documents.

The governor’s notings show he asked for the papers to be referred to the advocate general and the public prosecutor for their opinion and directed that the file be sent back to him before a final decision was taken on whether to prosecute the priest or not.

Almost a year after the incident, the file on the case was back before Jamir and in August 2005 the police told the Children’s Court that it wanted the case against the priest to be closed.

The RTI activist says while the Crime Branch let the priest off, 13 residents of Ribandar village, including an 80-year-old widow and he, were chargesheeted for entering the church to question the priest on the molestation case.

The courts have twice dismissed the charges against the lawyer, but the police continue to persecute him and the others and have filed an appeal before the high court.

Meanwhile, Fr Newton Rodrigues is believed to have been relieved of his duties.