MARGAO: A proclaimed offender Rupesh Manguesh Shetkar, who was arrested by the Quepem police in major cheating cases and who was lodged in Sada jail, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim on Sunday.
Shetkar was arrested by the police on charges of duping several people of lakh of rupees on the pretext of offering government jobs.
Shetkar, a resident of Cotto-Amona in Quepem, who had gone into hiding for almost two years despite a court warrant against him, was admitted to Hospicio Hospital, Margao.
The police said that soon after his arrest he complained of chest pain and since he was undergoing medical treatment, the Quepem police, produced a medical certificate before the court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Quepem, and obtained seven days police custody.
According to the Quepem police, Piety Lawrence Luis, a resident of Assolda, had lodged a complaint against Shetkar and his accomplice, Pratamesh, for cheating him of Rs 3 lakh on the false assurance of providing his son a government job.
Kailash Udaipikar, a resident of Rivona, Sanguem, in his September 1, 2014 complaint to the Margao police, had stated that he was swindled of Rs 6 lakh by the duo.
Jayu Gaonkar, from Shivsorem, Rivona, had also claimed to have coughed up Rs 3 lakh in an attempt to secure a job for his son Deepesh.
Similarly, Servia Fernandes, a resident of Manora-Raia, in her complaint lodged on September 30, 2014 had stated that Shetkar and Pratamesh, on assurances of providing her a government job, had duped her of Rs 3 lakh.
The police said that on September 27, 2014, they had filed an FIR against Shetkar and his accomplice under section 420 read with Section 34 of the IPC, following which the JMFC, Quepem had issued an arrest warrant against Shetkar in 2015.
The court had subsequently declared him as proclaimed offender.
Luis had later resubmitted a copy of his complaint to DySP Sammy Tavares, demanding that Shetkar be arrested and his immovable property be attached.
But when the Quepem police sought information of Shetkar’s immovable assets from the RTO and civil registration office, they found that he only possessed a scooter.
The police also said that after his arrest he was lodged in Sada jail and on Saturday he complained of uneasiness and was admitted in the GMC, where he breathed his last while undergoing treatment on Sunday afternoon.