Elusive Atala hiding in Israel: portal
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 26
In yet another disgrace, police measures have failed to stop Israeli drug peddler Yaniv Benaim alias Atala from country’s boundaries. He has already reached his home town in Israel and is hiding.
According to an Israeli news portal – www.Ynet.com, 36-year-old Atala, accused of organising major drug cartel in Goa, was spotted in Rishon Lezion.
The report titled “Goa drug king hides in Rishon – Letzion” has given chronological details of his arrest to Goa government’s reaction after his missing. The report has claimed that the 36-year-old drug dealer is back in his town ‘after escaping from house arrest by the Indian authorities.’
“Indian authorities reported in the last few weeks that Yaniv Benaim is missing, but now it seems that the Israeli drug dealer is in Israel and is hiding in Rishon Letzion,” the report reads.
Atala, arrested 6 months ago in Goa on suspicion of drug trafficking, ran away from Goa 3 weeks ago from a house arrest, as he was sentenced by the court in India and since then his trails were lost, the Ynet.com says.
The tattooed-arm man jumped bail in July after Narcotics and Drugs Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Court at Mapusa granted him bail on June 21.
However, no Goa Police officials were available to confirm the development. While, calls to DIG Ravindra Yadav went unanswered, when contacted, DySP C S Salgaonkar directed Herald to speak to SP Mangaldas Desai.
“SP Desai is investigating Atala’s case. Speak to him,” Salgaonkar said.
When contacted, SP Desai refused to reply to any queries relating to the news report. “I don’t know anything…” he told Herald and abruptly hung-up the call.
Atala’s sudden disappearance came to light when he failed to respond to Crime Branch’s summons on August 7. A look-out circular was issued only after 18 days on August 25.
JMFC Mapusa has already issued a non-bailable warrant against him, as he failed to reply to Court’s summons in the overstaying trial in July 2010.
