PANJIM: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday demanded a detailed investigation by Crime Branch in the illegal diesel supply to offshore casinos anchored in River Mandovi.
Addressing the media, AAP Secretary Prakash Naik said black marketeering of diesel to casinos is a huge loss to the State exchequer and its extent must be revealed.
“Why have the police not acted against the casino officials who are the end buyers and the users of the diesel seized? Such activity is impossible without the connivance and blessing of the ministry concerned and the government,” Prashant said.
Stating that political patronage enjoyed by the casino industry is behind the police going soft on the investigation, AAP demanded that the government come clean on the issue and transfer the probe to Crime Branch so that the truth is exposed and all involved, including the beneficiary casino management, are prosecuted.
Meanwhile, AAP co-convener Valmiki Naik said that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has again proved he is against army officers. “The Defence ministry has downgraded the ranks of their civil counterparts in the defence establishment, which is wrong,” Valmiki said.
He said Parrikar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are continuing to dodge the demands of the forces but are taking credit for the sacrifices and achievements the armed forces make. He added that it is the third time that the armed forces have been slighted on service matters after the OROP issue and disability pension reduction.
Stating that AAP condemns such duplicity, he demanded that the rank anomaly between the military and civil officers be rectified forthwith.
