Matka,’ a popular but illegal form of gambling, now earns the wrath of State Police. Upon directions from the Bombay High Court at Goa, the Goa Police Crime Branch has booked a case against unnamed Ministers, politicians, police officials, two newspapers, matka operators and over 1,100 matka gambling bookies for indulging, protecting and profiting from the trade.
The FIR is booked under Sections 109, 120(B) read with Section 34, Sections 3,4,11 (2)(a) and 12(1)(a) of the Goa Gambling Act and section (13) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Activist Kashinath Shetye and four other petitioners had approached the Bombay High Court at Goa alleging that Matka has been playing by even students and other big people but no action has been taken against such illegal activities. Matka is an illegal form of gambling similar to a lottery that is hugely popular in Goa as well as other parts of Western India. Gamblers place bets, sometimes as low as Rs1, and lucky are then thrown up twice a day.
Shetye had argued that matka was a regular source of extortion for police, who had allowed the gambling to proliferate.
The FIR also names a matka operator named Parekh alias Budo from Goa, 1100 matka bookies and two local newspapers, which, according to the petitioners used to carry results of the matka lottery. The crime branch, has been directed by the High Court to file a status report on the action taken against the gambling operations every six months.