Thaindian News

Panaji, Sep 29 (IANS) Goa Crime Branch officials Tuesday quizzed Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco for nearly two hours in connection with a casino extortion case registered against the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator.
Mickky was booked by the Crime Branch Sep 17 for allegedly extorting Rs.3.69 lakh, assaulting casino staffers and threatening them with dire consequences.

Speaking to reporters at the Crime Branch office in Dona Paula, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Chandrakant Salgaonkar said the tourism minister was questioned about his controversial visit to the casino and asked to narrate the sequence of events during the night intervening May 31-June 1 when Pacheco allegedly committed the crime.

“We have recorded his statement. We may be calling him once again for more clarifications and questions in connection with the case,” Salgaonkar said.

Police sources told IANS that Pacecho was also shown the CCTV footage which shows the minister gambling at the Treasures casino at the Majorda beach resort in south Goa and asked to explain the chronology of events.

Pacheco said he was innocent and that the case against him was a frame up. “I was only gambling there. My winnings are rightful. I did not threaten anyone,” he said.

Pachecho has earlier maintained that Home Minister Ravi Naik and Chief Minister Digambar Kamat - both Congressmen - were trying to taint the image of the NCP in Goa, ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Maharashtra.