MARGAO, MARCH 22
What has the roaring illegal matka gambling got to do with the session of the Goa Legislative Assembly? Well, the men-in-khaki, the matka bookies and their political masters may have the right answer, but the fact remains that matka gambling has suddenly gone underground in the Commercial capital with the commencement of the Assembly session.
The reason is not far too seek. The Margao police has conveyed a message loud and clear to the matka bookies to either stop accepting bets or do the activity on the sly. In fact, the bookies have been told to suspend the gambling activity for a period of eight days till the conclusion of the Budget session of the Assembly.
That’s not all. Bookies have been warned to brace up to face raids not from the local police, but from the Crime branch, if they fail to suspend their activities.
The message was effective enough to send many bookies underground. Most of the stalls often found accepting bets in the open appeared a subdued lot on Monday, courtesy the fiat from the Margao police. The police directives, however, had no effect on matka gambling over the cell phones.
Police sources in the know informed that the decision has been taken to avoid embarrassing situation for not only for the men-in-uniform, but for the government on the floor of the House.
The Commercial capital is the major hub for matka gambling with bookies even carrying out the illegal gambling activity just a stone’s throw from the Margao police headquarters. Sources say matka business in Margao runs into crores annually and provides employment to a large number of the unemployed in the lanes and gullies of the Commercial capital.
