Panaji: Drug Nexus Probe Hits Road Block - Israeli Drug Lord Atala Missing

By Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Aug 24: Goa Police are left clueless on whereabouts of Israeli drug peddler Atala, who is the main link in the policemen drug peddler nexus case.

Crime branch on Tuesday August 24 confirmed that they have not been able to trace the address Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, main accused in drug nexus case, who was out on the bail. Superintendent of police (CB) Chandrakant Salgaonkar said that the police team went to track him at the address furnished by him but found him missing.

“We were told that he had checked out from Angel Resorts in Porvorim village on July 4 and thereafter his whereabouts were not known,” Salgaonkar said. Atala was arrested on March 9 last after his former girlfriend, Lucky Farmhouse, posted a video on social networking website which showed the drug peddler confessing about his links with the policement.

Seven policemen including inspector Ashish Shirodkar were arrested. Salgaonkar has said that they will be writing to the court informing them that he is missing.

Sources stated that Atala was supposed to report to the Crime Branch every Monday and since he did not turn up for last few weeks, police began investigating about his address. Police officials confirmed that Atala went missing eleven days after he was given bail by narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances court on June 24.

Inquiries at the hotel revealed that Atala was staying in the resort’s room number 154 and later shifted to room number 101 in next three days. He checked out of the hotel on July 4.

Drug nexus issue has been hitting headlines since March this year. State’s political opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), during the recent assembly session, had demanded handing over of the inquiry to
central bureau of investigation (CBI). Goa home minister Ravi Naik was also in the controversy over the drug nexus after Atala’s former girlfriend in an interview to Israeli newspaper had said that home minister’s son, Roy was visiting their place.