From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Sep 19: Additional district court today granted anticipatory bail to Goa Tourism Minister Miccky alias Fransisco Pacheco who is facing police probe for allegedly extorting money from the casino.
The judge Desmond de Costa granted announced interim order today giving relief to the minister. The order restrained police from arresting the minister till next hearing scheduled on September 23.
The tourism minister is amidst the major controversy after the state police filed first information report against him accusing him of extorting money from a casino management.
Treasures casino, a firm operating gaming facility at Majorda beach resort in the south goa, had alleged that minister along with 11 others extorted Rs 3.69 lakhs from them.
The complaint was lodged in the first week of June with the local police station and was later shifted to crime branch.
The minister had also filed a complaint against casino management for cheating him by not paying up money which he won in the gaming.
The case against the minister is blown into a political controversy with chief minister digamber Kamat refusing to shield the minister.
“It is for the minister to decide on his conduct. Police are given doing their free and fair investigations,” Kamat told reporters on Friday at the sidelines of a function here.
Pacheco, who was left to fend for self by all his cabinet colleague, had accused `some politicians of trying to malign image of his party (NCP) by engineering this move ahead of Maharashtra polls.’
The minister had pointed out that the casino management had complained against him of demanding overcredit on the gaming table and playing with the money, which are not accepted in the casino gaming.
“There is no issue of extortion. Crime branch has purposely booked the case as extortion to get me behind bars,” he alleged.