The narcotics trade had once flourished so much in Goa that the cops were allegedly involved in dealing with the drugs in the open market after sneaking it out from the ‘Malkhana’ (custody where confiscated drugs are kept) of the Goa Police which is in the custody of Anti-Narcotic Cell (ANC).
A police inspector and four constables were arrested and jailed for their alleged nexus with the Israeli drug dealers. In another case, one police sub-inspector was also arrested and jailed who was seen on video tape while dealing with some kind of stuff with Israeli women.
The same PSI and other five constables were arrested and jailed for illegally trapping a drug dealer in a false case. Police Inspector Ashish Shirodkar has been reinstated but PSI Sunil Gudler is still under suspension.
All the arrested cops were suspected to have close links with an Israeli drug dealer and had been booked for offences of corruption and criminal conspiracy.
All were booked under Section 120 (b) of IPC, Sections 11 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, sections 28, 29, 30 and 59 (b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS).
Section 59 (b) of NDPS deals with a government officer’s connivance or willful aid that results in contravention of provisions of the Act. If convicted, the officers face 10 years rigorous imprisonment which may extend to 20 years, and are liable to pay a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh, which could extend to Rs 2 lakh.
Goa Police in its initial investigation have revealed that some amount of drugs were missing from the Malkhana whereas it was cited that the same was consumed by white ants.
However, the CBI which was investigating the case revealed that the drugs missing from the anti-narcotics Malkhana was not eaten by white ants as claimed by the state police department.
Based on the report of an entomologist from the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), the CBI concluded that white ants never “invaded” the Malkhana as a result the agency said drugs were physically “picked” up.
