Petition urges Matka investigation to be given to CBI

Tuesday 27th of June 2017

The High Court of Bombay in Goa is reportedly questioning whether the Crime Branch is capable of getting to the bottom of illegal matka gambling in the state, local media reports.

Matka is an Indian lottery number game, popular in both India and Pakistan.

According to The Herald Goa, a petition filed by Kashinath Shetye has pleaded for the investigation to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He alleges that the Crime Branch is merely conducting small raids as “eyewash”, and have failed to trace the source of origin of matka numbers.

"As they have failed to trace the source of origin of the matka number, the investigation of the case has to be transferred to the CBI", said the petitioner.

The Crime Branch submitted to the court that they had recently conducted many raids, booking a number of people to curb matka gaming. The Crime Branch also told the court that they recently shut down nine matka related websites.

Shetye however filed a PIL alleging that police and politicians were in cahoots with matka agents operating in Goa.

The case is presently being monitored by the High Court following allegations by Setye that police are not tracing the source of the matka numbers.

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