Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa Blog

Goa anti-terror squad to keep track of rave parties

Posted: 03 Aug 2010 06:37 AM PDT

Keeping track of terror is not the only responsibility of Goa’s newly-formed anti-terrorism squad (ATS). It is also likely to monitor online adverts for full moon rave parties, online sex trade and shady female escort businesses. Home Minister Ravi Naik Tuesday said in a written reply in the Goa legislative assembly that “at present there is no mechanism in place for regular surveillance of internet websites”.

“A proposal for the creation of a cyber cell as a component of the anti terrorism squad (Special Cell) to monitor the internet is under examination of the government,” Naik said responding to a question from Congress legislator Victoria Fernandes in the monsoon session.

The issue of Goa being promoted as a sex tourism destination was discussed in the house during the current session. The opposition had alleged that hundreds of websites promoting prostitution under the guise of escort and massage parlour services were proliferating on the internet which needed to be curtailed.

Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Goa blast: absconding Sanatan member arrested

Posted: 02 Aug 2010 10:19 AM PDT

An absconding member of right-wing Hindu organisation Sanatan Sanstha has been arrested by Maharashtra ATS for his alleged role in the 2009 Goa blast - the sixth person to be held in the case. An ATS team laid a trap and arrested Prashant Juvekar, absconding since October 16 last year, from near Bhusawal railway station in Jalgaon district on July 31, state ATS chief Rakesh Maria said. Juvekar, 24, hailing from Ratnagiri, was produced before a Nashik court which remanded him in police custody till August 3.

A 7.65 mm pistol was recovered from Juvekar, who was actively involved in the conspiracy and was trained in making IEDs, detonators and timing devises, Maria said. The blast, which had claimed two lives, occurred on Diwali-eve in a busy thoroughfare in Margao, barely a few hundred metres from a place where Chief Minister Digamber Kamat was participating in some celebrations.

Maharashtra ATS Chief Rakesh Maria announces the arrest of Prashant Juvekar, a Sanatan Sanstha member who is an accused in the Margao blast case, at a press conference in Mumbai on Monday.

The National Investigating Agency (NIA), probing the case, had filed a charge sheet against 11 Sanatan Sanstha members and made five arrests before nabbing Juvekar. Those named in the charge sheet include Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, who were killed when the bomb went off. According to the ATS, Juvekar had met Patil on August 23 when duo went to some place where the former was trained in making explosives. They had also discussed the blast conspiracy. "Juvekar was trained for three days in making explosives. On an experimental basis, the duo even exploded a small IED in hill area near Naik's residence," Maria said.

Since the blast, Juvekar frequently changed his location to evade arrest, he said, adding the accused stayed in suburban Malad here for sometime at his maternal uncle's place and travelled to various places including Baroda, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Delhi, Varanasi and Bihar. Juvekar, graduated in Commerce stream and discontinued his law course. His mother and father are retired bank employees. Maria said the NIA has been informed about Juvekar's arrest and the agency was likely to seek his custody soon.

The other five arrested are Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar, Dilip Mangaonkar and Prashant Ashtekar. The absconding accused in the case are Sarang Akolkar, Jayaprakash alias Anna, Rudra Patil.

Courtesy: Hindu

Pacheco moves breach of privilege motion again Goa CM

Posted: 02 Aug 2010 10:02 AM PDT

Former Goa tourism minister Fransisco Mickey Pacheco on Monday moved breach of privilege motion against Chief Minister Digamber Kamat in the state Legislative Assembly. The motion referred to the statement made by Kamat categorically denied having spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar when Pacheco resigned as a tourism minister.

Speaker of Goa legislative assembly Pratapsingh Rane, however, has not yet admitted the motion stating that he wants to examine it. The NCP legislator said that he has enough proof to prove that Kamat had spoken to Pawar on the day before he was pressurised to resign. “I was pressurised to step down after Chief minister told my party leader Pawar that there is evidence against me in Nadia Torrado death case,” Pacheco had said on the floor of the House.

The former tourism minister had stepped down on June 5 from the state cabinet and went into hiding for almost a month before surrendering to the court on July 3. Pacheco was arrested on July 7 and was remanded to police custody.

After getting released on bail following 15 days in police custody and a day in judicial custody, Pacheco made his statement in the ongoing state Legislative Assembly session. He had alleged that he was being targeted because he belongs to minority community.

Courtesy: hindustantimes
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