By Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jun 19: Goa police last night arrested a close aide of state tourism minister Fransisco Pacheco for allegedly threatening five star hotel’s Casino staff in South Goa.
 
Mathew Diniz, who was named in the complaint by Casino operators along with the tourism minister himself, for threatening its staff, was arrested by Colva police.
 
“We have arrested Diniz but there are no evidences against the minister,” police inspector Edwin Colaco said this morning.
 
The minister and casino operators had a spat allegedly over payment of money which the former won during gaming in Majorda beach Resort, a five star hotel in South Goa.
 
While Casino operator Gerald Fernandes had complained that the minister along with Diniz threatened his staff on May 29, the minister had accused the casino management of cheating him to the tune of Rs 1.25 crore, the money which had won in gaming.
 
Colva police, who is probing both the cases, said that they have verified the CCTV footage of the casino and did not find any evidence against the minister.
 
“We are inquiring into the complaint lodged by minister against the Casino management of duping him,” Colaco said.
 
Tourism minister, who is a NCP legislator, had said that between May 15 to May 22, this year, he had won an amount of Rs 1.53 crore at in-house Casino at Majorda Beach Resort.
 
“When I asked for the prize money, the staff of the Casino requested me to give them a day or two to make payments since they never held so much money in their treasury,” the complaint by minister mentions.
 
The minister said that he later complained to the Director and General manager of the hotel who intervened in the matter and on May 28, the Casino operator made part payment of Rs 28 lakh to him.
 
Pacheco stated that he was forced to file a complaint of cheating against the Casino management after the management lodged police complaint against him of threatening them.