Drug nexus existed during BJP rule too: Ravi Naik

PANJIM, AUG 6
Home Minister Ravi Naik today said the police-politician-drug dealer nexus existed in the State for the last several years.
In his written reply tabled in the Assembly, Naik said this nexus existed even before 2006 when he took charge as Home Minister. “It is not that drug activities were not there earlier from the year 2000 to 2006 (when BJP had ruled) and prior to that”, he said.
The House witnessed din at the start of “Question Hour” itself at 11.30 am as the Opposition, taking exception to Naik’s statement in the media, repeatedly interrupted his speech demanding a CBI probe. The home minister’s pleadings to Opposition members to allow him to speak went unnoticed and the Speaker asked him to place the paper on the table of the House.
“I know some of the politicians are making reckless, irresponsible statements to create a misunderstanding in the minds of people. The duty of the Opposition is to check the ruling party to see that there are no faults in the administration. The whole purpose is the welfare of people. But here, the whole purpose is to misguide the people to get political mileage”, he said in his written explanation.
The five page explanation, however, did not comment on the Opposition demand for CBI enquiry nor did he say anything specific to dilute charges made by the Opposition of his son’s involvement in the drug nexus.
While the Opposition claimed that investigation into the drug nexus case was sabotaged, Naik said for the first time in the history of Goa police, action had been initiated against so many police officials.
All attempts to contact Atala’s ex-girlfriend were made and she has responded saying that she will visit India by the end of August 2010, Naik said in his reply.
On June 11, 2010 a letter rogatory was sent to assistant director, CBI (Interpol) to get the details of Lucky Farmhouse and also to Under Secretary Home, to obtain approval to depute a team to Sweden for collecting evidence from her, he said.
On allegations levelled in a CD that was broadcast on one of the local news channels on March 5, 2010 against Police Inspector Ashish Shirodkar that he stole drugs from the court godown to sell them in the market, the home minister maintained that all possible evidence in support of the allegations in the CD were collected by  the police.