MARGAO: The Leader of Opposition and ex-chief minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday ruled out an intelligence failure that resulted in the escape of alleged drug kingpin Yaniv Benaim alias Atala but alleged the direct involvement of a section of the authorities.   

“It is not an intelligence failure, but they are involved,” Mr Parrikar told media before a press conference in Margao adding that probably Lucky Farmhouse statements had truth in them, so such action (allowing of the disappearance) needed to be taken.
He also stood by his statement made at a public meeting that the authorities only began to take action once they were sure that Atala had escaped from the grasp of the intelligence agencies.
Reacting to the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat refusing to blame anybody for the mysterious disappearance of the Israeli drug king pin, who was out on bail and was alleged to have links with police personnel and the state Home Minister’s son,  the ex-chief minister said that this “exactly what this government is all about. Nobody is responsible for anything that is taking place.”
It may be recalled that replying to reporters questions at the post- Cabinet press brief, the Chief Minster had categorically denied that anybody was responsible for him apparently disappearing and “no one was to blame” for his disappearance as the Home Ministry report did not hold anybody responsible.
“I received the report. It says no one is to be blamed for Atala’s disappearance because he was not in police custody. Once he is out on bail, the police need not keep a watch on him,” Mr Kamat had said,  ruling out action against anybody.