the goan I network
PANAJI
Water Resource Minister Vinoda Paliencar’s brother-in-law, Shamsudar Kerkar, has refuted reports circulating on social media platforms that he was present on the premises at Morjim when the police raided it for matka gambling and seized nearly Rs 60 lakhs in cash.
Kerkar, on Monday, dismissed the reports as ‘fake news’ and has filed a complaint with the Cyber Cell of the Goa Police accusing some persons of circulating it and implying his involvement in the matka gambling racket.
Kerkar, in his complaint, has identified ‘Lopes Joe’ as one of the several who published the fake news on the wall of their Facebook account and sought action against them. He has also provided in his complaint five phone numbers of Whatsapp users who circulated the report.
On June 29, a police team headed by North Goa Superintendent of Police Chandan Chaudhary had conducted a raid in Morjim in which a record amount of cash was seized. Eleven persons were also arrested and several cell phones attached.
Soon after the news spread, reports began surfacing on social media that Kerkar, who is Paliencar’s brother-in-law, was present on the premises but did not figure in the list of persons booked and arrested. He resides in the same village.
“I was being referred to as the kingpin despite having nothing to do with the case and this has caused me and my family mental agony,” Kerkar said in his complaint.
