Panaji: Shiv Sena`s Goa state executive
committee was dissolved Thursday after two of its senior office
bearers were embroiled in an extortion controversy.
The state executive was immediately replaced by a seven-member ad-hoc committee, hours after Goa Shiv Sena chief
Upendra Gaonkar and his deputy Umesh Salgaoncar were arrested
by state police for allegedly attempting to extort money from
a hotel operating casino.
Gaonkar and Salgaoncar were, however, later released on
bail.
Salgaoncar has also been expelled from the party.
Both were caught on camera demanding money from a hotel
management, which has filed a formal complaint with the police.
The footage which was extensively aired on local news
channels had shown Salgaoncar claiming that the money was part
of the party`s fund-raising activity.
The hotel management had captured the duo in the act on a
spy cam which was fitted in the room where they had come to
collect the money.
In a communication received by the party`s Goa office
today, former Shiv Sena state chief Ramesh Naik has been
appointed as a convener of the ad-hoc committee.
The communication also announced expulsion of Salgaoncar
for his involvement in the extortion racket.
Party`s spokesman Milind Tulaskar said this evening
that party`s executive president Uddhav Thackarey ordered the
dissolution of state executive.
PTI
