Souza Lobo case: Gajendra alias Chotu Singh operates 12 illegal ladies ‘dance’ bars in the Vagator-Candolim belt

CALANGUTE, GOA: In a shocking disclosure a senior police official, earlier posted at the Calangute police station told this reporter that arrested accused Gajendra alias Chotu Singh runs and operates more than 12 illegal ladies ‘dance’ bars and night clubs in the Vagator to Candolim coastal belt of North Goa with the protection of the cops and local politicians.

In the Calangute beach area, there are four such ladies dance bars, which are within a few hundred meters of each other. Sources alleged that the Calangute Village Panchayat is aware of the same, but no action has been taken. No VP official was available for comment. ALSO READ: CCTV footage of Souza Lobo shows staff of Planet Goa, Sunil Bhomkar and Gajendra Singh leading the attack

A senior Congress leader from Calangute accused some Village Panchayat officials of receiving regular ‘gifts’ and ‘bribes’ from Gajendra Singh to support his illegal activities.

ALSO READ: SP, DySP, MLA involved in Souza Lobo case: Bhomkar, Chotu operating prostitution biz in Goa

All the restaurants and night clubs operated by Singh have a normal or simple ‘restaurant’ license, but are operating as ladies dance bars or night clubs, which is illegal.

Semi-naked women dance in these bars (like the earlier Mumbai dance bars) and the venues are also pick-up points for the flesh trade.

ALSO READ: Calangute cops paid Rs 2.5 lakh bribe per month, Delhi bizman Rajeev Arora under the lens?

Chotu Singh pays the cops to look the other way and nearly Rs 10 to 12 lakh per month are paid as bribes to policemen in the police stations in the Vagator to Candolim belt. The most notorious locality is the Baga-Candolim zone, reveals the senior police official.

Two DySPs are accused of ‘helping’ Chotu to run his illegal businesses in the area, our source informed. ALSO READ: Over 40 illegal ladies dance bars from Morjim to Nerul, Calangute PI admits he shut down 15 bars and 28 massage parlours

According to media reports, the owners of the Souza Lobo Restaurant, which was attacked by around 80 armed persons alleged they were offered Rs 40 crore by the main accused Rajeev Arora, to sell off the property.

ALSO READ: Calangute PS collected Rs 30 to 35 lakh per month in bribes, ‘hafta’ claims ex-cop

After a hue and cry over the third attack, the PI of Calangute police station Nolasco Raposo was suspended along with two constables. The role of four more constables from the Calangute police station is being questioned.

The owners of Souza Lobo restaurant alleged that a Delhi-based businessman Rajeev Arora who wants to purchase the property, had earlier hired one Sameer Toraskar last year for the attack, while this time one Sunil Bhomkar – an associate of Chotu, had come along with 50 other thugs. Arora has offered them Rs 40 crore to leave the property, they claimed.