Team Herald
PANJIM: The street corners of Panjim, where matka bookies sat accepting bets, are empty. But, the illegal trade has not stopped it has merely gone underground.
The new trend in Panjim, for the last couple of days, is of bookies walking around major junctions and spots in the city accepting bets on the move.
The trade restarted in Panjim on Monday with the entry of a major player who picks the matka bet from the city. Besides him, there are a few others who have returned. Many bookies were seen moving around at bus stands, jetties, the municipal market, near Cine National, Vidyut Bhavan etc in Panjim.
But this is only in Panjim. In the rest of the State, matka operations continue under the nose of the police. The FIR filed on directions of the High Court of Bombay at Goa against police, politicians and the matka mafia has not
affected the illegal trade elsewhere. Herald had reported last week how the trade was going on in Panjim despite the FIR being filed.
Bets were being openly accepted in the areas around Panjim. The picture is of a matka bet being placed in Taleigao, adjoining the State capital.
In Tivim, where politicians were named in the FIR, one major bookie is still operating. In Bardez bookies can be seen everywhere, at all the usual places, accepting bets. In Porvorim, a big name in the illegal trade has got back in action.
The reluctant approach towards tackling matka trade has led to concerned citizens saying that closing the matka industry in the State won’t be possible as it is linked with high-profile politicians.
The illegal trade that operated for decades in the State, with the blessings of the police and politicians, came under the scanner of High Court that directed Goa Police to submit an action taken report on matka every six months, following a writ petition filed by an activist.
