Threat to Parrikar's life ?
18 May 2001 22:23 IST Following two former Congress ministers being arrested in the last two days in Goa, the state police has whipped up security of chief minister Manohar Parrikar, anticipating threat to his life.
In fact one leading local newspaper here published a headline report, quoting IB reports that a gang of Mumbai is being hired to kill Parrikar. The police however declined to confirm the news, though admitted threat to his life.
"We cannot allow the chief minister to move so freely as he was doing before", said SP (CID) Apa Teli. Though he declined to disclose who are the people targetting Parrikar, Teli confirmed that the security is being tightened in the light of the arrests of the leading Congressmen.
While more arrests are expected in both the bank scam as well as the power rebate scam, Parrikar at a public meeting here has announced that he would come out with more scandals, involving politicians as well as non-politicians. One such sex scandal, describing it worst than the famous Jalgaon sex scandal, involves a son of one former minister, he alleges.
He has alleged that Congress MLA and spokesman Jitendra Deshprabhu, who is also leading landlord of Goa, is also involved in a land scam. Deshprabhu, while clarifying that the land does not belong to him, has challenged Parrikar to prove his involvement or step down within a fortnight.
In the meanwhile, Zuwarkar and the bank CEO C N Salkar are being remanded to five-day police custody, after which they have hospitalised themselves, claiming chest pain.
Mauvin Godinho, the former power minister arrested in connection with the power rebate scam, has however been discharged from the hospital. Having been remanded to four-day police custody, he was interrogated throughout the day.
Both Godinho and Salkar have approached the sessions court, seeking bail. Their orders were postponed once again, likely to be pronounced tomorrow.
While Zuwarkar did not apply for bail, his supporters from Taleigao constituency today observed bandh, which was partially successful.
