Mangaluru, Nov 30, 2014: A few people from the city and around who convened a press meet here on November 29, Saturday have alleged that Stephen Mendes, Director of a private TV channel named Divine World has cheated them. They charged Mendes of involving in several criminal cases and unlawful activities in the guise of social work and even alleged that the Police Department had failed to act against him.
An 85 year old man named JB Sequeira who was present at the press meet alleged that “Stephen Mendes had conspired to loot the valuable property of the St Lawrence Primary School and Pompei English Medium School functioning at Kinnigoli under the Bharath Matha Trust run by him, by joining as a Trustee and then forming his own fake Bharath Matha Trust.”
Sharada Shetty, a resident of near KPT who also spoke, said “Stephen Mendes has grabbed our 2.65 acre land by creating duplicate documents.” She further hurled a serious allegation and said “My son Jagannath Shetty who used to be with Mendes, was one day found dead while returning from the house of Mendes. There is no doubt that this is a case of murder. Still the police have failed to investigate.”
Another resident of Bejai who was also present charged Mendes of grabbing his 96 cents land by forging signature of five partners.
All the aggrieved persons have also threatened to stage a dharna in front of the DC office if the Police Department failed to deliver justice to them.