Panaji, Sep 18 (IANS) Goa Tourism Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco Friday said vested political interests were gunning for him, especially in view of the forthcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
Pacheco has been booked by the Crime Branch of the state police on charges of threatening and extorting money from an onshore casino management to the tune of Rs.360,000.
Speaking to reporters here, he said: "Some people wanted to defame the NCP in the run-up to the assembly elections in Maharashtra."
"Some people want to put me behind bars. They want to defame the NCP all over Maharashtra with the help of such trumped up charges," he said. And added: "This is exactly what the Congress culture is like. They can defame anyone by stooping to any level."
The Goa government comprises a constantly bickering coalition of the Congress, the NCP, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, an unattached legislator from the United Goans Democratic party (UGDP) and an Independent legislator.
Pacheco has been named with eleven others for allegedly threatening the staff of Treasures casino at the Majorda Beach Resort, a five star facility in South Goa in a first information report (FIR) filed by the hotel staff. The extortion occurred in June this year.
Pacheco already faces two complaints of assaulting government servants, including a police constable, and bigamy filed by his wife Sara Pacheco.