Panaji, Dec 24 (TOI): Despite knowing fully well that pop star Remo Fernandes is currently abroad and that he has sought time till January 8 to appear before the police in response to summons issued to him, the Agasaim police on Wednesday issued a look out notice to the Padma Shri awardee saying he failed to appear before them in a case of a verbal abuse of a minor girl.

"The accused (Remo) person is wanted by Agasaim police station and if anyone has information on the whereabouts regarding him, please intimate Agasaim police station," PI Jivba Dalvi said in the lookout notice. Dalvi said that the notice has been issued within the state.

Remo's counsel Damodar Dhond informed Agasaim police that Remo will arrive in Goa on or before January 8, 2016. "I would like to submit that I have been instructed by my client (Remo) that he is trying to come down to Goa on or before January 8, 2016 and he shall intimate you the date, no sooner he books his ticket to Goa and stand investigation in the crime," Dhond said in the letter to Agasaim police.

Speaking to TOI, director general of police (DGP) T N Mohan said that the look out notice is issued as per procedure. "If we speed up the investigation, then the media asks us why police is behind that person and if we don't do speedy investigation media asks why police is not acting."

Earlier in the day, North Goa superintendent of police Umesh Gaonkar sought a detailed status report on the case. "After getting the status report, if any further investigation needs to be done will be decided," Goankar added.

The Goa police had said on Tuesday that Remo had obtained a Portuguese passport, but did not mention the date when the singer became a foreign national.

The Agasaim police on Tuesday sent the second summons issued to him to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Panaji, with a request that it be forwarded to the Indian embassy in Lisbon to be served on Remo. But the DGP said, "We have not yet issued any summons to the Indian embassy in Portugal."