Panaji: The Electoral Office here has been
asked to probe the allegation of dual citizenship against
former Goa minister Fransisco Micky Pacheco, officials said
today.
The Election Commission of India (ECI), had, last month
asked the Chief Electoral Officer of Goa to probe the
allegation against Pacheco, a former state tourism minister.
Pacheco, an NCP MLA who has been a minister thrice, has
been accused of holding citizenships of India and USA.
The Joint Chief Electoral Officer of Goa, Arvind Bugde,
wrote to the electoral registration officer in Benaulim,
asking to conduct inquiry into the issue on January 24. The
letter was received yesterday, they said.
Pacheco claimed that he had only Indian citizenship. "I
have been sworn thrice in the cabinet. If I had dual
citizenship, I would not have got the chance even to contest
the election," he said, reacting to the allegation.
The former minister had to resign after getting embroiled
in the controversy over the death of his lady friend, Nadia
Torrado.
"I am ready to face any inquiry. In the past too, I have
come out clean after being probed for false allegations," he
said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, January 29, 2011, 16:36