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

CALANGUTE, GOA: A former senior cop who was posted at the Calangute police station years ago, has revealed that the police station in the tourist hot spot of North Goa collected Rs 30 to 35 lakh totally in bribes and ‘hafta‘ each month from various sources.

During the peak tourism months of December and January, this amount would even reach Rs 45 to 50 lakh, the cop revealed, as it included bribes from event and party organisers in the area.

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

Amounts ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 2 lakh were collected as “processing fees” from event and party organisers in the jurisdiction of the Calangute police station. No event company or individual could organise any event in the area without paying off the cops to obtain required permissions.

Speaking exclusively to this reporter, the former cop said the total monthly collection included bribes from tourists involved in fights as well as ‘settlement or recovery’ money from cottage and lodge operators, etc. Constables from Calangute police station were used (by travel agencies, lodge and cottage operators) and doubled up as recovery agents to recover dues from tourists who couldn’t pay or were running short of funds and 30-35 percent of the recovered money was retained by the cops. This was a standard practice for years in the coastal belt, and the money was shared among the “team”, the ex-cop said.

ALSO READ: Gajendra alias Chotu Singh operates 12 illegal ladies ‘dance’ bars in the Vagator-Candolim belt

“But the major chunk or about 80 per cent of the monthly collection amount came from illegally-run businesses like night clubs, ladies dance bars, prostitution joints and even the drugs business. The amount was distributed among various police officials and even at the DySP level. Several top politicians were part of the cut. The PI would take home at least Rs 2.5 to 3 lakh additionally each month,” the ex-cop said.

Cops who did not play ball with the system were abruptly transferred, or shunted and given side assignments within the police station. ALSO READ: Souza Lobo case: Main accused trying to influence police, investigation

Two DySPs are also involved in the racket as are Village Panchayat officials, he informed. In the present case, the Souza Lobo restaurant owners have alleged that VP officials subtly supported the troublemakers including Bhomkar and Arora. In spite of repeated attempts to contact Jude Lobo, we were unable to reach him for clarifications. ALSO READ: Goa should focus beyond its beaches, project cultural, hinterland and heritage tourism

Meanwhile, following a public outcry, the Goa DGP’s office issued an order suspending police constables Vinay Srivastava and Shashank Sakhalkar attached to the Calangute PS, who were the main ‘collection and settlement’ agents for their higher-ups. In addition to the duo above-mentioned, the role of three more police officials, including a DySP is being probed, sources said.

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

Nine people have been arrested so far in the Souza Lobo restaurant vandalism case, including businessman Gajendra alias Chotu Singh who is supposed to run at least 10 to 12 illegal businesses, including ladies dance bars in the Northern coastal belt. Gajendra Singh’s associate Sunil Bhomkar – who had applied for anticipatory bail, and one more person Pushpendra Meena were traced and arrested by the Goa Crime Branch from Nasik in Maharashtra on Sunday. ALSO READ: CCTV footage of Souza Lobo shows staff of Planet Goa, Sunil Bhomkar and Gajendra Singh leading the attack

It is said the supari to threaten and drive out the present Souza Lobo owners was given by Rajeev Arora, a Delhi-based businessman, who has invested in several properties in Goa.