Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (SP)
Karkala, Sep 19: Together with the arrest of Richard Castelino in connection to the case of Melwin Fernandes who was apprehended in Kuwait for carrying banned drug last year, the police have also arrested Richard's wife Justine who had given the parcel containing the medicines to Melwin.
In early 2014, Justine, it is said, requested Melwin Fernanades, a neighbour, who was going back to Kuwait after visiting his hometown, to carry some medicines for her ailing husband working in Kuwait. Melwin had taken a parcel given by Justine to him in good faith, at Richard's behest, without realizing that contained a banned drug. On his arrival at the airport, Kuwait police had arrested Melwin for bringing banned substance into the country.
Melwin spent nearly nine months in Kuwait jail before being released following the untiring efforts of his wife Carol, with the help of high-ranking officials, government agencies, and the coastal community people living in Kuwait. In the meanwhile, Carol had filed complaint in the town station here, alleging that Richard holds two passports.
Carol also complained to the chief minister, minister U T Khader, former union minister Oscar Fernandes, Veerappa Moily, and D V Sadananda Gowda by meeting them personally, besides writing to the union external affairs minister. She also met western range inspector general of police, Amrit Paul, and explained the injustice her family had gone through. Under his guidance, a fresh case was registered in the court, and the case was given to deputy superintendent of of police, Dr H N Venkatesh Prasanna.
Prasanna, after taking over investigation, found out that a person named Roshan Crasta had transferred funds to the bank account of Justine in Canara Bank from Kuwait. The police wrote to Dollarco Money Exchange, Kuwait through the bank and sought identity proof of Roshan Crasta. Prasanna found that the photo of Roshan Crasta matched with that of Richard Castelino.
The police obtained passport details of Crasta through immigration. They thereafter found that Richard had two different passport in different names. The couple was arrested on the basis of this finding.