PANAJI:  A House committee headed by the Nuvem MLA, Mr Francisco Xavier Pacheco was constituted on Friday to collect information relating to evidence, if any, as regards the alleged involvement of Mr Roy Naik, the son of the former home minister, Mr Ravi Naik, in the drug trade.

The Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar speaking on the issue said that a number of MLAs, especially those from the North Goa beach belt are virtually ‘gold mine’ of information related to drug trade, and at least 50 per cent of this information is correct.
“Let the House committee collect evidences from these legislators within a month’s time and present its fact-finding report,” Mr Parrikar said, assuring that he would then hand over the case to a fresh team of police officials led by the new superintendent of police (crime branch), Dr O P Mishra, with team members who were previously not linked to the case.
Maintaining that his government has a no go policy on drugs and prostitution, the Chief Minister said that let the House committee come out with basic information on the Roy Naik issue, and the crime branch of the Goa police would then investigate the same.
“If the crime branch finds substance in the case, we will file a charge-sheet,” he stated, observing that the matter is very serious as the needle of suspicion is being pointed towards the member of the previous government.
Mr Parrikar said that one Prakash Metri, the stock witness of police, was used in the bail to the drug lord, Yaniv Benaim alias Ataule by depositing Rs 50,000 along with bail bond. “There needs to be an investigation as regards the source of Rs 50,000, which Prakash Metri paid to secure bail for Ataule,” he added.
The Chief Minister also said the related case is already being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, through the direction of the High Court on the petition of a Youth Congress leader, Mr Sunil Kawthankar. “However, most of the evidences in this case have been lost, and the case has become very weak,” he opined, maintaining that the Crime Branch would probe the case independently.
Replying to a supplementary question, Mr Parrikar said that he cannot take action against the former home minister unless there is enough evidence against him.
“However, if someone has evidence, I would certainly take action,” he assured.