Out on bail after spending four months in judicial custody, alleged Israeli
drug dealer Yaniv Benaim alias Atala said on Wednesday denied that any
politician was involved in the drug trade in the state.
“Everything is false. It’s a bullshit (sic),” he told a news agency after his
release. However, at the same time, Atala denied that he was involved in the
drug trade. The Israeli claimed he used drugs like any ordinary tourist
visiting Goa and had no connection with the drug trade.
Atala refused to comment on suspended police inspector Ashish Shirodkar, who
allegedly provided him drugs stolen from the police lockers. “I don’t want to
talk about Ashish (Shirodkar),” he said.
Videos of Atala boasting about his links with “Ashish” uploaded on a networking
site by his former girlfriend had created an uproar in the state, leading to
the arrest of the former anti-narcotics cell cop and several of his colleagues.
His girlfriend, Lucky Farmhouse, had also given interviews to the media stating
that the son of a senior politician was involved in the drug trade and that she
had seen him coming to meet Atala. She said she had video tapes to prove her
claims.
Singing a different tune on Wednesday, Atala termed the tapes a ‘joke’. “It is
nothing serious. It’s a joke, it was a movie,” the alleged drug peddler said.
Atala alleged that media was trying to defame him for no reason. “I don’t know
why media is defaming me. May be because they want to sell their papers. Media
tried to finish me,” he said.
The Israeli national, who was served a deportation order way back in 2007,
said, “I have not spoken to Lucky for the last four years. I don’t know why she
is talking against me.”
Although Atala on Wednesday denied everything he had earlier claimed on tape,
the fact remains that on the basis of his ‘confession’ seven policemen were
arrested. The high court subsequently released the policemen on bail while
castigating the police for tardy investigation in this case.
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