Israeli drug peddler, two cops booked for graft

PANAJI - An alleged Israeli drug dealer and two policemen were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the Goa Police Wednesday, officials said.

The police have also not ruled out booking the trio under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ravinder Singh Yadav told reporters at the police headquarters that Atala alias Yaniv Benaim, senior inspector Ashish Shirdokar and constable Saish Pokle, the latter two attached to the anti narcotics cell (ANC), had been booked for corruption.

“They were booked following the widely circulated footage of Atala saying that he bribed Ashish,” Yadav said, referring to the two videos uploaded on www.youtube.com that have rocked the state police.

In the two videos Atala - who has been remanded to seven days police custody - is shown speaking to an unidentified person about police links to the narcotics mafia in the state. Atala also speaks about the bribes he paid to Ashish Shirdokar and how the officer used to procure drugs for him from the seizures made by the ANC.

“There is no ambiguity about the fact that we are going all out after the drugs lobby. Our actions are proving that,” Yadav said, adding that if any police official was found involved in the narcotics trade, action would be swift.

“The Crime Branch is investigating the case. If a case is made out against the officers and the police constable, we will not hesitate in booking them under NDPS Act,” Yadav said.