Operators of a casino owned by former Haryana Home Minister Gopal Kanda have refuted a Goa Government claim that the floating vessel is a hazard and would be auctioned.
The former Haryana Minister, whose company Golden Globe Hotels Private limited owns the MV leela casino vessel, has now written to the Captain of Ports Administration seeking a joint inspection. “We had issued the Golden Globe Hotels a notice asking them to tow away the boat because the casino on-board is not functional. In the monsoon, the river current is rough and it could dislodge the anchor and the ship can then be a risk to other vessels,” a senior official said.
“The ship’s management claims that it has taken all steps necessary to ensure that the boat is in good shape and the maintenance is regularly done and calls for a joint inspection. We will frame our response soon,” the official said. The Goa Government earlier this month had classified the vessel as a “hazard” and was contemplating taking it over and auctioning it off.
Kanda has been in the news over abetting the suicide of an employee and ex-air hostess Geetika Sharma. In January this year, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had warned that Kanda’s ship would be auctioned off because it had closed its casino operations and had also not renewed its licence. The Captain of Ports Administration is in-charge of the minor port at Panaji as well as the administration of the State’s waterways and navigation therein.
He was had bought the casino vessel from Goa-based leela Beach Resort in July 2009.