the goan I network
PANAJI
A day after Thursday’s fracas where the city’s civic administration cleared an alleged encroachment by the Big Daddy casino operator, Panjim’s newly elected MLA, Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, Mayor Uday Madkaikar and ex-Mayor Yatin Parekh have sought anticipatory bail after they were booked for alleged molestation following a complaint by a woman with whom they had got into a verbal confrontation.
Also supporters of Monserrate and the Congress party late on Saturday evening held a protest demonstration in solidarity with the legislator, who had promised to remove the casinos from the Mandovi river within a month of getting elected in the recently held Panaji by-election.
The Panjim police, meanwhile booked an FIR against the three politicians on Friday night after the woman, who was resisting the CCP’s action in which a part of the casino’s front-office facade was demolished, filed a complaint. She has named Monserrate, Madkaikar and Parekh and accused them of molestation, criminal intimidation and outraging her modesty. Monserrate however denied the allegations and claimed that he along with the mayor and Parekh among others were inspecting the CCP’s drive to remove the encroachment. The bail pleas were filed on behalf of the three politicians by their lawyer Swapnil Nasnodkar.
Later on Saturday evening, Nasnodkar also submitted a complaint to the police on behalf of Monserrate alleging that he was confronted and abused with filthy language by the woman. Monserrate also said in his complaint that the woman said her ‘boss’ and Haryana politician Gopal Khanda would ‘finish’ him (Monserrate). Removal of off-shore casinos from the Mandovi river within one month was a major promise Monserrate made during campaigning at the May 19 Panaji by-poll which he won emphatically. Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress president, Pratima Coutinho and St Cruz MLA Antonio Fernandes also joined the protesters, the momentum for which built up through the day on social media.
Until casino policy is finalised, govt won’t tinker with industry: CM
PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said until and unless the casino policy is finalised and the proposed ‘Gaming Zone’ is demarcated, the government will not tinker with the status quo of the industry. “As a chief minister of the State, I cannot arbitrarily say that the casinos should be thrown out of the Mandovi river,” Sawant said while speaking to the media on the sidelines of an awards function at the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the capital city on Saturday.
He however declined to put a time frame or give a deadline for finalising the policy or demarcating the gaming zone. He said once it is done, the casinos currently operating in the Mandovi river will be relocated.
On Thursday’s incident involving Panjim MLA Atanasio Monserrate, the Panaji mayor Uday Madkaikar and former mayor Yatin Parekh, the chief minister said he has called for a detailed report from the police and the administration.
