PANAJI: Crime Branch of Goa Police has issued a notice under Section 41 A of CrPC to the Leader of Opposition Chandrakant 'Babu' Kavalekar asking him to appear at its Ribandar office on Friday at 11 am for questioning in connection with the matka slips attached from his Betul property.
Crime Branch had on Wednesday raided Kavalekar's Betul residence where drawers containing thousands of matka slips were seized from an outhouse outside his house.
The room was sealed during the raid previously conducted by Anti-corruption Branch (ACB) on Kavalekar's properties in the last week. During the raid, ACB sleuths discovered an office room at the Betul property, where thousands of matka gambling slips and books were found. These were were subsequently sealed and attached.
Following this, a Crime Branch team led by Police Inspector (PI) Vishwesh Karpe secured the necessary permission from the court and raided the office space outside Kavalekar's Betul residence.
Crime Branch officers also attached certain documents and a register hinting at the possibility that someone was running a full-fledged matka business from the premises.
No offence has been registered against Kavalekar in the connection with this case yet.
The case is being probed under the main FIR in the matka case registered by the order of High Court in response to a petition by activist Kashinath Shetye alleging a nexus between politicians and police.
--------------------
Younger bro says
not my business,
not our residence
When contacted, Babal Kavlekar, younger brother of Babu Kavlekar, said the premises at Betul, where the Crime Branch had conducted the raid on Wednesday, did not belong to him nor his brother.
"All our ancestral properties are in the name of our father," said Babal.
Asked to comment on the seizure of matka slips and whether he had links to matka gambling, Babal flatly denied any involvement in matka.
"My family and I reside in Margao and we visit Betul only once a week," said Babal.
