Team Herald
PANJIM: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) directing a strict vigil on casinos, their operations have come under the scanner of the Chief Electoral Office and the Commercial Taxes Department to ensure they are not misused to stash money for campaigning by candidates or political parties.
Directing casino operators not to stack money, the CEO has asked the Commercial Taxes Department to scrutinise the daily payment receipts. “We have increased surveillance in view of directions issued by ECI. A special flying squad has been set up, that will keep tab on entry and exit in casinos and other activities,” CEO Kunal said.
Kunal said that a meeting with casino operators was held on Monday evening, wherein they were asked not to get involved in stacking money for politicians. “We have told them to submit the upper limit of money collection by them to the Commercial Taxes Department. We will initiate action if they fail to do so,” he said.
The ECI team during its visit to Goa last week had raised fears that casinos can be misused with respect to cash withdrawal and distribution. The ECI had roped in the Director General of Investigation from Goa and Karnataka to work out a strategy to keep vigil on casino operations.
In a statement the CEO said that 11 areas have been identified as sensitive and 128 people are under the watch of police. Police has also raised 22 check posts.
The CEO also said that a complaint has been filed against Goa Forward for erecting banners in violation of the code of conduct and an inquiry is underway.
On Monday, around 7140 litres of liquor were seized from five different places in Calangute and investigations prima facie show the alcohol had been stored for distribution.
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Digvijay tweet slams BJP for
defending casinos in state
NEW DELHI: Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, in-charge of Goa affairs, on Tuesday slammed the ruling BJP for defending casinos in the state.
“Goans have always said NO to malpractices. This every Goans is now saying #NO to the #BJP for destroying Goa for its own vested interests,” he said on his Twitter account.
The tweet reads: “To fill their own pockets, BJP ants to destroy Goa.” It also carried two quotes in support. One by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday that “Can’t promise that casinos will go out of Mandovi within a year of new BJP government.”
Another quote is of BJP MLA Kiran Kandolkar: “We get our salaries because of Goa casinos.”
