Cops arrest 'conman' in Imphal, bring him to Goa

MARGAO: Sean Demonte, accused of duping several persons in the state to the tune of over 80 lakh, and who was on the run, is cooling his heels in the Margao police lock-up.

The native of Manipur was arrested from his house at Kairan in rural Imphal by the Goa police on Monday. The raid was conducted with the assistance of Manipur police. The Goa police team was lead by PSI Sherif Jacques. Demonte was brought back to Goa on Wednesday.

Briefing reporters, South Goa SP Waman Tari said Demonte first fled to Nagaland before moving on to Manipur.

"He was finally traced at his home in rural Imphal. He is accused of cheating several people, mostly travel agents. Cases against him are registered at Margao and Calangute police stations (one each) and Colva (two)," said Tari.

Police sources said that in January 2011, Timoty Colaco from Benaulim, who owns a travel agency, lodged a complaint against Demonte for failing to pay 17 lakh towards airline tickets which Demonte had purchased on credit.

Cristina Rebello similarly lodged a complaint with Colva police against Demonte for cheating her of 2,68,000.

In another case, Fidoll Pereira lodged a complaint that Demonte failed to return the 23,50,000 he had borrowed from her on the pretext of setting up a call centre in Verna.

Sources said there are many more cases of persons being duped by Demonte, but these are yet to be reported to the police.

Significantly, Demonte, in a complaint to IGP and South Goa SP, had accused Colva police of attaching large amounts of cash, including foreign currency and other items from his car without a receipt, after he was involved in a road accident in Colva.