Probe against police official admitting to drug trade in Goa
By IANSWednesday, January 6, 2010
PANAJI - Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik Wednesday ordered an enquiry into the state police spokesperson’s recent statements admitting to drug trade in the state.
Naik has been on the backfoot over rampant drug abuse in and along the coastal tourism hubs of Goa during the tourist season with the death of 23-year-old Meha Bahuguna due to suspected drug overdose at the recent Sunburn dance festival. The minister has been insisting that Goa is a drug-free state.
“If the police public relations officer (PRO) has said there are drugs in Goa, I will inquire into it. I will ask him to explain his statement. The PRO should give proof that he has about drugs in Goa,” Naik said.
Police PRO Atmaram Deshpande, who is incidentally the supervisory head of the Goa police intelligence network as superintendent of police CID and special branch, had earlier during a media interaction admitted that Rs.1 crore worth drugs seized by the
anti-narcotics cell (ANC) of the Goa police showed that drugs were being sold in the state.
The state anti-narcotics cell booked 17 cases in 2009 and arrested 24 people, including 9 Indians and 15 foreigners, on charges of selling drugs in the state.
