PANJIM: The State government has approved the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matka nexus case following directions from the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
The government advocate submitted in the court on Tuesday that the Chief Minister has cleared the file for forming the SIT under the chairmanship of retired High Court judge. The advocate further submitted that the order of government has to be weighted by the Advocate General of Goa and in the coming days the SIT will be formed.
Crime Branch submitted in the court that since the matka case was registered on October 8, 2015 till September 27, 2017, Goa Police have booked 1546 cases and arrested 1617 persons. CB has also stated that Rs 16,17,673 has been seized by Goa Police.
Crime Branch also submitted that raids were conducted at both the places and persons arrested from places mentioned in the affidavit by Mukundraj Mudras. Mudras had filed an affidavit in the court and handed over a video recording of bookies accepting matka bets in Banastarim and Margao.
CB also has stated that while interrogation the accused there were no revelations of bribes being accepted by policemen, while the accused from Banastarim stated that a person in civil clothes used to come to collect money once a month but he cannot identify him.
CB has also submitted that they had raided the bungalow of the Kashinath Shetye had approached the HC through a PIL alleging the connivance of police and politicians with matka agents in the illegal gambling operation.
Following the court’s direction, Crime Branch in 2015 had registered an FIR against police, politicians and others. The case is currently being monitored by the High Court following allegations that the police are not tracing the source of the Matka.
The High Court will further hear the matter on Tuesday.
