TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: While giving clean chit to former Home Minister and North Goa candidate Ravi Naik in the drug mafia-police-politician nexus case, Congress party on Thursday demanded that the BJP coastal MLAs, should be investigated for shielding the narcotics trade.
The party expressed doubts over the findings of the House committee report citing that even BJP’s Calangute MLA had expressed doubts over it. Lobo and St Andre BJP MLA Vishnu Wagh too had dissented with the report submitted by the committee headed by Nuvem MLA Francisco Xavier Mickky Pacheco saying there was no direct evidence to indict Naik.
Since the coastal belt is vulnerable to drug trade, there is always suspicion about the involvement of local MLAs in the business, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesman Durgadas Kamat told media persons Thursday evening.
“We want the BJP government to investigate its coastal MLAs to expose their link in the drug business and whether they are involved in shielding the trade,” Kamat said.
Pointing to the fact the BJP’s Calangute MLA Michael Lobo had refused to accept the State Legislative Assembly’s House Committee report on drugs, Kamat said similarly Congress party also has doubt over the committee’s findings that had indicted former Home Minister in the police-drug mafia nexus case.
“The House Committee report is not accepted by the Government so far,” he said adding none of the Congressman, including Ravi Naik was involved in the drug trade.
Kamat said that Congress party slogan has been always ‘no to drugs’. The party spokesperson alleged that the opposition in the fray for North Goa seat are trying to malign Naik’s image by involving him in the drug case.
The House committee in its 125-page report had recommended criminal investigations against former home minister, his son Roy, director general of police (DGP) Kishen Kumar and several senior police officials for their alleged involvement in the narcotics trade.
