Notification to hand over cases to CBI issued on Feb 16: Govt
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, FEB 22
Contrary to its earlier claims, Goa Government on Monday said that notification to hand over the cases of police-drug mafia nexus to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was actually issued on February 16, 2011.
Under Secretary (Home) Vishwanath Dangi, in the affidavit filed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa said that State government had issued notification according consent to CBI on February 16, 2011.
“The State Government has issued notification dated February 16, 2011 according consent to the extension of powers and jurisdiction of the members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment to the whole of the State of Goa for the investigation into the crime registered with Crime Branch,” the affidavit reads.
Whereas, the government had claimed of having requested the Centre to conduct separate investigation through the CBI into the alleged drug trade-police nexus cases in a formal communication to the Union Home Ministry in January.
NSUI legal representative Surendra Desai pleaded the court to monitor the investigation into the nexus cases.
While in one case seven policemen were suspended, arrested and released for having close links with Israeli drug lord Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, the second case involved spy cam expose wherein police sub inspector Sunil Gudlar was shown negotiating with two foreign women over the sale of drugs.
Chief Secretary Sanjay Shrivastava had addressed the two letters to the Union Home Ministry on January 21 and 31, respectively entrusting CBI to take over the investigations.
However, the notification according consent to transfer the cases came only on February 16, 2011.
Advocate General Subodh Kantak requested the division bench to keep the case hearing pending till the Centre is made a respondent to this case.
“The area of investigation is wide enough that even a supplementary chargesheet can be filed in the case (referring to Israeli drug lord David Driham alias Dudu’s case, chargesheet of which is filed in the NDPS Court),” he added.
NSUI in its petition had also requested to hand over Dudu case to the CBI, which has not been considered by the State till date.
The matter is fixed for next hearing on March 10.
