PANAJI: Reacting to certain press reports that the wanted drug dealer, Yaniv Benaim alias Atala has escaped to Israel, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said that the criminal, who was released on bail by the court, managed to escape with the full understanding of the police department, and the Red Corner notice was issued by the police only after Atala had reached his destination.

Maintaining that both the home department as well as the state police have been stripped into public due to their dismal failure in handling the Atala case, the state unit of BJP further demanded immediate resignation of the Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik for such a serious lapse on his part. "Goa, which had acquired reputation as a popular international tourist destination, has now become notorious because of the strong presence of drug mafia here, thanks to the home department and the police," the opposition party added.

Addressing a press conference at the city BJP headquarters, the chief spokesperson of the state BJP unit, Mr Rajendra Arlekar said that the statements of the Director General of Police, Mr Bhim Sain Bassi as regards the Atala case are all hollow, and no positive results have come out in the matter. "One can now observe the rationale behind the demand of the BJP as regards handing over the case related to the police-drug trade nexus allegations to the Central Bureau of Investigations," he noted.

It may be recalled that Atala was arrested in March earlier this year after media exposed the video footage showing him bragging about his links with policemen. Seven policemen were subsequently arrested forcing the state to launch massive investigation in the storage of seized narcotics in the state. Crime branch, in charge of investigating the case was caught on the wrong foot after Atala was out on the bail, and soon managed to flee from the state.

Speaking further, Mr Arlekar said that he smells a rat in the Z-plus security demanded by the Home Minister for his family. "The BJP is of the opinion that ‘Threat to the life of his family’ is a ploy to deviate the public attention from the main episode, wherein allegations were made about connections existing between the son of the Home Minister and the drug traders," the BJP’s chief spokesperson said, pointing out, "Or else, the Home Minister should reveal to the public, the real reason behind seeking top security for his family."

Replying to a question from the media, Mr Arlekar said that the BJP would resort to all avenues within the Constitutional framework as well as democratic set up, so as to expose the inefficiency of the home department and the state police. "The BJP is also seriously thinking about seeking legal recourse, for forcing the government to hand over the case related to the police-drug trade nexus allegations to CBI," he concluded.