Special team to probe matka

PANAJIrThe State Government will set up an independent Special Investigation Team headed by a retired judge of the Bombay High Court to probe the prevalence of matka gambling in the State, Advocate General told the Bombay High Court at Goa. rSpeaking to The Goan, litigant Kashinath Shetye who has been fighting an unending battle against matka gambling in the State, said that the proposal was acceptable to him. r“The Advocate General has made a statement in open court that they would set up an SIT headed by ex-judge of the Bombay High Court at Goa Avinash Lawande. I have made a statement in court that if it is judge Avinash Lawande, I would have no problem,” Shetye told The Goan. rThe matter has now been kept for Monday for deciding who will be the other investigating officers that will comprise the investigating team to be so set up. rShetye has been battling a crusade against matka in the State with his petition, alleging that the authorities are turning a blind eye to matka gambling in the State. rIt was through his petition that the High Court directed the Goa Police to register an FIR in the case against matka. rOn October 12, 2015 the police had filed an FIR in connection with matka betting across the State and named “more than 1100 bookies”, “one politician named Kiran from Tivim” besides also two Marathi newspapers -- Tarun Bharat and Pudhari as accused in the case. rShetye and other petitioners had alleged that complaints had been lodged with the Crime Branch officials, who caught and arrested 20 persons though according to the petitioners, as there were illegal gratifications to the police officers, no raid was conducted and that police officers, four Superintendents, head constables were issued suspension letters. These suspension orders were kept in abeyance as no action was taken despite the complaints lodged with the police against such activities. rAs a consequence of this petition in April this year, the State Police began a crackdown on matka gambling across the State with several teams of police fanning out and conducting raids and arresting matka gamblers. Nearly 100 bookies were arrested.