Panaji: The second hearing will be held on Monday before Goa Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad on a complaint regarding fake license to a restaurant in Goa, which Congress leaders claimed was Union Minister Smriti Irani. associated with his daughter. The first hearing was held on July 29 by Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad, who issued a notice to the restaurant “Silly Souls Cafe” located in Assagao, North Goa. Social activist Irish Rodrigues filed a complaint on June 29 alleging that the excise office in Mapusa illegally renewed the restaurant’s product license in the name of a deceased man—Anthony DeGama. The complaint said that Degama died on May 17, 2021 and cited a death certificate issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
During the first hearing of the complaint on 29 July, the Excise Commissioner fixed two issues for consideration – whether the excise license was obtained by Anthony DeGama by submitting false, insufficient documents and misrepresenting facts and whether procedural by the excise authorities. Irregularities were committed. The De gama family has been directed to file a reply in this regard. According to the complainant, under the Excise Rules only licensed restaurants are allowed to issue bar licenses, but on February 18, 2021, the Excise Department issued the license in violation of the norms.
What was said in the complaint?
The complaint states that the license was issued in the name of Anthony DeGama, while he was a resident of Mumbai. According to the complaint, DeGama’s Aadhaar card was issued on December 30, 2020, a few days before she applied for the excise license. The activist had also alleged that even the mandatory police verification was not done. Beni Nazareth, the lawyer for Degama’s family, cited provisions of the Portuguese Civil Code to state that in a case when the spouse dies, his powers (in this case the liquor license) automatically transfer to the spouse. goes. During the first hearing in the case, Degama’s family members had told the authorities that it was purely their business and no other person was involved.
What did Union Minister Smriti Irani say?
Union Minister Smriti Irani had filed a civil defamation case against three Congress leaders for linking her daughter’s name to the restaurant. The Delhi High Court had held that Irani and her daughter neither owned a restaurant in Goa nor had they ever applied for a license for food and beverages in the restaurant, as alleged.
