BY AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
The guards are no more visible in front of the house 75-year-old French actor Marianne Borgo lived until yesterday.
Instead, at the entrance is parked a jeep and on the balcony sits Gaya Acharya, sister of Nirmala Acharya Sousa, the wife of the late Francis Sousa.
From afar, it looks like the drama of having to live without water and electricity is over in Naikavaddo, Calangute, and shifted to the court in Mapusa.
“We went through a horrendous time for no reason. We were painted as troublemakers by the locals and the media. No one wanted to hear our version and accusations were thrown at us,” said Gaya Acharya, who is helping her sister in her time of distress.
“My sister is with her two-year-old son at her husband’s house. She asked me to come and help her till the air is cleared of this false propaganda,” claimed Gaya.
“It was first alleged that we were not allowing her to leave the house as we had parked bouncers in front of the gate. In fact, she did not leave the house because she was aware that had she left, my sister would have moved into her house and no law could have stopped her,” reasoned a fatigued-looking Gaya.
“That we got the electricity supply disconnected by the Electricity Department is evidence enough that my sister is not claiming someone else’s property as her own. If not, how was the electricity disconnected on request?” questions Gaya.
“Till yesterday, I used to sit outside the door, hoping for her to go out so as to enable me to enter. She was scared of going out and even claimed that she had to jump over another gate to leave the house. She went out from the front gate,” claimed Gaya.
“This is the only gate to the property,” added Gaya.
“She had to jump over the front gate as I used to lock the gate when I went home for a wash,” explained Gaya, when confronted with Marianne’s statement that she needed to jump over a side gate in the middle of the night.
Marianne Borgo, as per reports in the media, claimed that she had bought the spacious house in 2008 from the late Francisco Sousa, advocate and owner of the famous Casa Portuguesa on the Calangute – Baga road.
“She (Marianne Borgo) is a nice lady. She used to come to this house with the late advocate Francisco many years back, and for a while, it looked like they lived together, but later she used to come and live here alone. She was good to all the kids,” stated a lady living in the neighbourhood on condition of anonymity.
“We were taken aback when we saw the security men and heard her pleas for help. I am sure there will be a settlement soon. I came to know that she went away last night and the people she was fighting are now staying in the house. It’s best not to interfere,” said another aged man living close to the house.
Gaya is certain her sister Nirmala has enough evidence to win in court. However, she is not sure how long it will take them to win over their neighbours.
“Our neighbours and people around have for no reason gone against us. It was ten days of us against all of them, when we have all the proof with us,” reasoned Gaya, who now lives in the house with her brother and one security guard.
“My brother-in-law died during COVID when all restrictions were in place, and my sister had to manage by herself with her newborn son. Our idea was never to trouble anyone but just claim what is ours,” claims Gaya, who hails from Nepal.
“I need to speak to my advocate before I fix an appointment with you. I will get back once I get the permission,” Marianne Borgo told Gomantak Times Digital on Friday. She refused to respond to phone calls thereafter, even till the time of going to press.
Till then, Gaya will continue to live in the house Marianne alleged she was harassed in, hoping the neighbours will one day start walking in again to visit.