MAPUSA
A day after Congress MLA Michael Lobo said that Goa Police would not be able to handle the Sonali Phogat probe and demanded a CBI inquiry into the case, the party on Saturday took an opposite stand and said that Goa Police was doing a good job in the investigation, exposing the fissures within the Congress and a section of its MLAs.
The Congress has also said that Lobo should reveal the names of those involved in the drugs trade along the coastal belt, a promise which he could not fulfil when he was in power with the BJP.
Former North Goa District Congress president Vijay Bhike said that by arresting the main two accused within 24 hours, Goa Police has shown that it can deliver if they are given a free hand.
He also said that top BJP leaders including ministers were interfering in the functioning of the police which needs to stop for cops to act fairly and decisively.
“There is no need for a CBI inquiry in the Phogat case when our police force is doing an excellent job and is on the right track. The police should be given a free hand to investigate drug-related cases and get to the root of the issue,” Bhike said.
The former North Goa District Congress chief was addressing a news conference along with North Goa District Congress president Virendra Shirodkar, District General Secretary Pranav Parab and Panaji Congress Block president Joel Andrade.
Continuing, Bhike said the State police had a bunch of good officers but there was constant pressure on them from various quarters.
“Even small BJP karyakartas were interfering in the functioning of various government departments, which needs to be stopped,” he said.
He said the Goa Police has seized a sizeable amount of drugs in the past and arrested several accused involved in drug cases.
When told that Congress MLA Michael Lobo had demanded a CBI probe in the Phogat case, Bhike said that may be his personal view, but the party feels that the State police was handling the case well.
“When he was in ruling BJP, Lobo had promised to disclose names of police officers and others involved in drug cases. He may have been compelled to shut his mouth then since he was in the ruling group. Now is the right time for him to reveal those names,” he said.
