Police interrogate GCA officials for fake tickets sale
9 April 2001
Police on Monday began interrogation of Goa Cricket Association (GCA)
officials over allegations of the sale of `duplicate' tickets for the fifth
and final one-day international between India and Australia at Margao on
April 6.
The South Goa superintendent of police ID Shukla said GCA secretary Vinod
Phadte and treasurer Ramashankar Das have appeared before the police in
response to the summons and they were being interrogated. Police had
summoned them on Sunday but they did not turn up.
Thousands of ticket holders had to return home disappointed after they were
denied entry to the stadium as it was packed to capacity.
Police claimed that around 25,000 tickets were sold in excess and if all
the people were allowed inside the stadium, there was fear of a stampede.
In the chaos that ensued, police made a lathi charge to disperse the
spectators.
Meanwhile, the state unit of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
has joined other political parties in demanding a probe into
the happenings. State NCP chief Wilfred Desouza at a press conference
in Panaji said the government must set a time frame for the police
to get to the bottom of the `scam.'
Desouza, who demanded a `thorough' probe, said in case
the local police failed to come out with tangible results, the
case should then be handed over to the CBI.
© PTI