Goa Minister accuses rivals of mudslinging

Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik has said that his rival politicians are tarnishing his image by falsely implicating his sons in drugs and illegal mining cases.

Speaking to reporters, Naik gave a clean chit to Ritesh and Roy who are facing allegations of illegal mining and drugs, respectively.

The minister further said that his sons are often misunderstood to those who have same personal names and 'actually involved in the crimes.'

"My eldest son Ritesh's name was flashed all over for his alleged involvement in the illegal mining, but it was later corrected as a case of mistaken identity. Similarly, Roy was names in the drug nexus but he is misunderstood to one Roy Fernandes, who is ex-personal assistant to a minister," he said.

BJP had demanded to register a case against Ritesh for abetment of illegal mining by state NCP former national secretary Jitendra Deshprabhu in his property in a village at Pernem taluka.

Deshprabhu, arrested for carrying out illegal mining in his property was remanded to six days police custody on Tuesday.

Whereas Roy's name has cropped up time and again for his alleged links in the narcotics trade with opposition demanding action against him as well.

Luc8as closely associated to Atala into the drug dealings.

The minister has rubbished her statement claiming that Lucky herself is involved in the drugs trade.

(Reporting by John Edwards)