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Three get court notice for linking GP prez to Fr Mahesh suicide

Udupi: In connection with a defamation suit filed by Mudrangadi gram panchayat president David D’Souza, the third additional JMFC court here has issued notice to three persons.

Earlier in October 2019, the three accused – Joel Mathias, Flavia Mathias and Leena Mathias – had circulated fake messages linking David and his son Doyson with the suicide case of Fr Mahesh D’Souza. It maybe recalled that Fr Mahesh D’Souza, the assistant parish priest and principal of Don Bosco School in Shirva was found hanging in his cabin on October 11.

David had approached the cyber police seeking action against the accused for defaming him on social media. David has sought Rs 1 crore in damages for the mental and personal trauma he had to undergo because of the defamatory messages. In his complaint, David alleged that Joel had on an earlier occasion too spread false rumours about him but had later apologised at the police station.

A FIR (1519/2019) under Information Technology Act has been registered against Joel and Flavia at Shirva police station.