Naik says no to CBI probe in drug nexus

PANAJI - Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik Thursday ruled out a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into a police-politician-drug mafia nexus in which his son has been linked.

Speaking to reporters in the assembly complex, Naik also said that politicians allegedly getting ‘hafta’ (protection money) from the narcotics industry were plotting against him and his son Roy.

“I am the only home minister who has cracked down on drugs. Those politicians who were getting protection money from the drug lobby are now ganging up and making these allegations,” Naik said.

Naik, who has been attacked by the opposition for allegedly sheltering the nexus, also said that all the claims made by Swedish model Lucky Farmhouse about his son’s links to Israeli drug dealers were “rubbish”.

“They are all just claims made in the air. These days anyone in Sweden or anywhere can say anything they want using the internet,” Naik said.

Lucky, using spy camera videos, had alleged that her former Israeli boyfriend, also a known drug dealer, had links with Roy Naik.

The opposition, the ruling coalition partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and several ruling legislators have demanded a CBI probe into the drug nexus.

The high court also passed several strictures against the investigation by the Crime Branch.

The court had observed that the state government was refusing to hand over the prove to the CBI, fearing more skeletons tumbling from its closet.

Seven police officials have been arrested for their links to the drugs mafia in which several politicians and policemen have been linked.