Goa minister claims casino duped him of Rs.1.25 crore winnings

September 29th, 2009 PANAJI - 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.

September 17th, 2009 PANAJI - The crime branch of Goa Police Thursday booked controversial state Tourism Minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco for extortion and threatening a casino employee, officials said. A police spokesman said that Mickky, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator, had extorted Rs.3.69 lakh from the management of 'Treasures' casino at the Majorda beach resort in South Goa, in the wee hours of June 1.

September 8th, 2009 PANAJI - Offshore and onshore casinos in Goa will shut down Wednesday in protest against the state government's decision to sharply hike the entry fee from Rs.200 to Rs.2,000 per person. "The steep hike is throttling business," Casino Association of Goa (CAG) spokesperson Narinder Punj told reporters Tuesday.

July 27th, 2009 PANAJI - Goa Ports Minister Francisco Pacheco Monday told the state assembly that no activity would be permitted now on the five offshore casinos whose no objection certificates (NOC) for berthing off the Mandovi River have expired. "I assure the house that all activities on these five ships will be sealed," Pacheco said, promising prompt action.

July 24th, 2009 PANAJI - The Goa government Friday proposed an increased tax on liquor and a higher entry fee for casinos, saying it hoped this would to keep the youth away from casino gambling while also increasing the state's revenues. "My government, in an effort to discourage the youth of the state from entering casinos, proposes to enhance the entry fee from Rs.200 to Rs.2,000 per person," said Chief Minister Digambar Kamat while tabling the additional budget for 2009-10.

July 1st, 2009 PANAJI - Goa Public Works Department Minister Churchill Alemao Wednesday said here that most casinos in the state are operated by a Nepali cartel, which fleeces patrons with a measly two percent pay out ratio. I have been playing in casinos in so many places since 1974.

June 22nd, 2009 PANAJI - After training its guns on the Congress-led coalition in Goa for allowing both offshore and onshore casinos to run amok, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now finds itself in the crosshair of an onshore casino operator. Update Recreation and Gaming Private Ltd (URGPL), a firm which operates mechanised casinos in several five-star resorts in Goa, has accused leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar of pandering to the offshore casino lobby during his tenure as chief minister.

June 22nd, 2009 PANAJI - Saying that "ministers going to casinos is bad", Goa Congress chief Subhash Shirodkar Monday said the involvement of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) cabinet ministers in casino-related controversies was "in bad taste". I can only say that the casino episode is in bad taste, Shirodkar said at a press conference at the party headquarters here.

June 21st, 2009 PANAJI - Facing criminal charges for allegedly cheating Goa Tourism Minister Francisco Pacheco of Rs.1.25 crore in gambling winnings, a casino firm has alleged that Pacheco in fact owed it Rs.30 lakh in dues. Gerald Fernandes, general manager of the Update Recreation and Gaming Pvt Ltd (URGPL) casino, which runs the Treasures casino at Majorda beach resort, has filed a police complaint against Pacheco.

June 19th, 2009 PANAJI - An aide of Goa Tourism Minister Francisco Pacheco has been arrested for threatening the management of a casino that has been accused of not paying the minister his winnings of Rs.1.25 crore. Matthew Diniz was arrested late Thursday after threatening the staff of the Treasures Casino at the Majorda beach resort, said police inspector Edwin Colaco.

June 19th, 2009 PANAJI - Goa's Tourism Minister Francisco Pacheco along with an aide have been accused of threatening and criminally intimidating the management of a casino. Pacheco's actions have prompted the leader of the opposition Manohar Parrikar to demand that the minister be sacked from the state cabinet.

March 24th, 2009 PANAJI - Police in Goa are investigating a complaint filed against the operator of an onshore casino, accused of beating a customer and denying him his winnings after he went to claim the money. According to a complaint registered with the Anjuna police station Tuesday, Abhijeet Salgaonkar (25), a resident of Vasco, said that he was assaulted by bouncers attached to Casino Mint, located within the Riveira resort in Arpora, Monday night.

March 18th, 2009 PANAJI - Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Tuesday denied the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) charge that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel had asked him to raise the ceiling on the number of offshore casinos in the state. 'Neither Ahmed Patel, nor any other Congressman from Delhi called me in connection with any casino related matter,' Kamat told a press conference here.

March 1st, 2009 PANAJI - Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Saturday denied accusations that his office was involved in a multi-million scam involving granting of licenses to casino operators, but opposition leader Manohar Parrikar circulated copies of Chief Secretary J.P. Singh's letter admitting that a foreign casino ship was recently granted a license.

February 3rd, 2009 PANAJI - Under fire from the opposition over charges of corruption in giving offshore gambling licences to ships, Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Wednesday assured the assembly that the state's casino policy would be reviewed. The Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar said that several offshore casinos were operating in Goa without proper licences.