PANAJI: In an embarrassment for Goa police, state government on Tuesday suspended anti-terror squad (ATS) SP Edwin Colaco over allegations that he had registered his birth and marriage in Portugal, which is the first step to obtain a Portuguese passport. Colaco was likely to be promoted to the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre.State government had received a complaint from an anonymous person that between 2008 to 2010, Colaco had travelled to Portugal to register his birth and marriage. It was revealed that Colaco obtained permission from state government to travel abroad, but did not disclose the purpose of visit and country.A senior govenrment official said that Colaco has been placed under suspension with immediate effect. He said that till the suspension is revoked, Colaco will be at the home department, secretariat, Porvorim.Government directed Colaco not to leave the headquarters without obtaining prior permission from the competent authority.In Oct 2014, Goa police had registered first information reports (FIR) against Colaco, six unknown persons working at the Bombay high court at Goa, 43 unidentified advocates, 500 unknown persons working/retired in govt departments in Goa, and other individuals for allegedly acquiring dual citizenship.Police had said the accused acquired citizenship of Portugal by obtaining the bilhete de identidade without surrendering their Indian citizenship.The case was registered under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, Sections 4 and 5 of the Registration of Foreigners Act, and Section 12 of the Passport Act. JMFC, Panaji, Bosco GF Roberts directed the crime branch to register an FIR.Most people who obtain Portuguese nationality do so to migrate to Europe in search of better life and job opportunities. Others obtain a Portuguese identity card after registering themselves there, so they can travel abroad without a visa.Government statistics show that thousands of Goans have registered their births in Portugal, a provision offered by the state’s former colonial rulers to those born before Goa’s Liberation in 1961 and to their children.Goa has debated the dual citizenship issue, as several of those who have registered their births in Portugal, including politicians, police personnel, and bureaucrats, have also obtained a Portuguese passport or ID card.Last year, chief minister Pramod Sawant urged Union government to grant amnesty to Goans to cancel their Portuguese identity cards, so they can retain their Indian citizenship.Sawant told the Union ministry of home affairs that the revocation of passports “has been taken in very bad taste by the affected population”, since it may adversely affect their livelihood.In his letter to the MHA, Sawant said, “Grant an amnesty to Goans for cancellation of assento de nascimento, cartao de cidadao (the Portuguese identity card), to thereby retain their Indian citizenship”.
