Not sure I will ever resume service: Goregaon priest Donald Rodrigues

Father Donald Rodrigues

Cleared of cheating charges, Father Donald Rodrigues, 49, who served as assistant parish priest at St. Thomas' Church in Goregaon East from 2018-19, believes that 2021 will be kinder to him.

Rodrigues and a Worli-based builder, Lindwall Rodrigues, were accused by Blaise Gregory Gomes on March 29, 2019 of cheating him and his friend Jerome Dsouza to the tune of Rs 1 crore through an investment opportunity in Nashik.

Gomes claimed that Donald introduced him to builder Lindwall and induced him to invest in a plot with him. However, Lindwall allegedly transferred the plot in his own name and forged Gomes' signature on cheques. Gomes also claimed that he paid for Donald's education at the Goregaon seminary during 1993-2005.

The charge sheet filed by Dadar police on October 31, 2020, however, does not mention Donald. Investigating officer Vaibhav Pansare of Dadar police said, "No proof was found against Father Donald. He had no role in the case."

Donald told mid-day that the mental torture drove him to the brink of suicide. "I was always innocent and now it has been proved. The enquiry documents that I was not involved in the dealings. Being a priest, there was very little I could do. I was vulnerable and helpless. I could only hope for justice."

"I also checked with the seminary rector and received an undertaking that the claims about Gomes paying my fees are untrue," Donald said.

Gomes' lawyer Wesley Menezes told mid-day, "It is surprising that despite giving enough documentary evidence against Father Donald, the police choose not to charge-sheet him. We will file a protest application challenging the closure."

After the case was filed in 2019, Donald took a sabbatical from his priestly duties. "With my name dropped from the probe, the new year seems very bright and happy. I have a lot of options but I am not sure if I will ever resume my service," Donald said.