C’garh cops unearth gambling den in Verna Police backyard
Seven bookies associated with Mahadev Gambling App arrested during a raid on a flat at Sancoale; 13 laptops, 48 cellphones, 14 cheque books, 40 ATM cards & Rs 25 lakh seized; Verna cops clueless of the clandestine activity
PETER DE SOUZA
PANJIM: After the Hyderabad Police had swooped down and nabbed the alleged drug lords in Goa by keeping their counterparts here in the dark, this time, the arrests of seven bookies associated with the Mahadev Gambling App by the Chhattisgarh cops has left the department red-faced, as the State police had no clue of the clandestine activity.
Sources revealed that the Chhattisgarh Police arrived at the Verna Police and sought assistance in a cheating and gambling case registered in their State.
They then went to a locality having 500 apartments, raided a flat in Sancoale and arrested seven bookies. They also seized 13 laptops, 48 cellphones, 14 cheque books, 40 ATM cards and Rs 25 lakh.
Sources in the Chhattisgarh police also revealed that financial transactions worth over Rs 100 crore had taken place during the course of the operations.
Sources in the Goa Police also revealed that the nefarious activity was carried on by a dismissed cop with the tacit blessings of a Superintendent of Police who was allegedly caught in a sting operation last year, but managed to wriggle out of the inquiry.
Sources also stated that even the Deputy Superintendent of Police was not informed about the incident.
When O Heraldo contacted Verna PI Melito Colaco, he said, “The Chhattisgarh Police had come seeking assistance from us and we provided it to them. We were not aware of anything that was happening in Sancoale.”
When questioned about the role of the Local Information Bureau (LIB) and the beat constable about the issue and asked as to how they missed out on informing the department about the illegalities in a residential area, Colaco said that there were 500 apartments there and it was difficult to keep a watch. The owner too had leased the flat, claiming that the tenants were his relatives.
A senior police officer on the condition of anonymity stated that those arrested were taken to Chhattisgarh without following a proper procedure and no transfer warrant was obtained by them
When inquired about the role of the police, especially the senior officer, who was allegedly involved for providing protection and extorting his pound of flesh from the gambling activity, the official stated that they would look into the matter seriously as such activities were defaming the department and the State.