When Herald pictorially exposed gambling dens in Valpoi, the cops did nothing. So we know who takes the hafta
Team Herald
PANJIM: Matka bets were being openly accepted in Panjim a day after Crime Branch registered a FIR in the politician-police-matka mafia case. Embarrassingly for the police, the bets were being accepted within 150 meters of the Police Headquarters in Panjim, where the State’s top police have their offices.
On Tuesday, Inspector General of Police addressed Police Inspectors from across the State in the weekly crime meeting, but none of the officers who attended the meeting noticed the bets being accepted around their headquarters.
When Herald contacted Inspector General of Police, Sunil Garg and mentioned the bets being openly accepted in the State’s capital, Garg said, “If you have anything please give it to SP North, he will conduct a raid and book the cases. I will also tell him.”
Herald’s claim that matka betting was on just 150 meters away from the Police Headquarters on Tuesday can be supported by pictures Herald shot of matka bookies.
Shockingly, in its FIR, CB a wing of the State police, has made the media one of the accused (accused no 11) along with ministers, politicians and police officers.
“Further accused at Sr No 11 abetted the illegal activities of matka gambling by protecting and failing to investigate the complaint and acting against the offenders at Sr No 1 to 8 by collecting haftas (protection money), thereby committed offense u/s 109, 120-B r/w 34 IPC 1860 & Sec. 13 Prevention of Corruption Act 1988,” the FIR states.
The above statement from the FIR holds the media responsible for abetting matka gambling and charges the media of criminal conspiracy and booked them under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The question here is whether the media comes under the Prevention of Corruption Act?
Just how casual the police are on the illegal betting can be gauged by Garg’s statement to Herald. On Tuesday he said, “It is not our conclusion but as per the petition the HC has directed us to register the FIR and we have done it.”
In April this year Herald had published a hard-hitting investigative report on the matka trade in Goa but there was no action by the police. The government and police did nothing, though one Herald correspondent within a week collected enough secrets of the matka trade to expose the trade.
There are over 60,000 bookies across Goa who sit and accept bets at markets, bars, outside shops, on footpaths, bus stands, railway stations, taxi stands, small kiosks, schools, colleges, near government colleges etc and there are over 70 main agents who collect these bets from the bookies who are paid a commission. It is a major trade which can be compared to the legal casinos and casino operators claim that matka has a higher daily turnover than the casino industry.
