Team Herald
PANJIM: The Home Department has renewed the casino licence granted to Golden Globe Hotels Private Limited, paving the way for the entry of the sixth offshore casino in River Mandovi. The decision comes in the wake of the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Thursday directing the State to decide within 24 hours on renewing the vessel’s licence.
Sources at the Secretariat confirmed that the licence to the former Haryana minister’s casino vessel was renewed on Thursday. “The licence is renewed but, the concerned company has not submitted all the required documents. We have thus asked the officials to furnish us the documents such as registration by the Captain of Ports, antecedents of the board of directors, and various statutory permissions,” sources told Herald.
Taking a safe stand, as the decision has been taken before the formation of a new government, the Home Department has reserved the right to file a Special Leave Petition before the Supreme Court.
The company had moved the High Court stating that the government had not renewed the licence even after paying Rs 48 crore dues and despite Additional Advocate General D Lawande submitting to the court on January 9 that the government would decide on the application in four weeks. Advocate General Saresh Lotlikar had also told the division bench of Justices Anoop Mohta and C V Bhadang that, except for the ongoing election code, there is no other objection to the renewal of the licence.
