NT NETWORK
MARGAO
Matka operations continued in Salcete taluka despite the police carrying out raids and arresting six persons on Monday afternoon.
The arrested individuals were later released on bail only to return back to their spots to carry on with the activity as usual.
A day after Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jaspal Singh asked South Goa Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas to crack down on matka gambling in the district, police carried out raids in Navelim, Fatorda and Colva and arrested a total of six persons.
Margao police carried out raids in Navelim at four places in the afternoon, arrested four persons and recovered a total of Rs 6,490 from the four bookies.
The bookies were later released on bail only to return back to their spots later in the evening to carry out operations as usual.
In Fatorda and Colva, the police arrested one person each under the Public Gambling Act.
Police at the Margao police station informed that offences booked under the Gambling Act are bailable offences and hence the accused were released on bail.
It may be recalled that this daily had reported about the flourishing ‘business’ of matka in Salcete despite the state government forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with an IPS-ranked officer to expedite the investigation.
Taking cognisance of the issue, the IGP had directed the Superintendent of Police to crack down on matka operations. Gawas was not available for comment.