A first information report (FIR), was registered by Goan police on Saturday against two senior officials of oHeraldo Publication for allegedly attempting to extort money from casino companies, Casino Pride and Deltin Group.

Crime branch PI Vishwesh Karpe said, “In 2015, in the office of the director of Casino Pride at Hotel Majestic, Porvorim, the accused, with common intention, demanded advertisement of 25 lakh (US$37,500) or sponsorships at Herald events from Casino Pride and Deltin Group on a monthly basis to stop negative stories against casino owners/managements in the daily newspaper, oHeraldo, thereby attempting to extort money,” as reported by The Times of India.

Along with sales and editorial personnel and other management of Heraldo Publication, Panaji, booked in the case were general manager Michael Pereira and assistant manager of sales, Adwait Desai, according to the FIR. After a video showed up on social media regarding the conversation between the director of Casino Pride and Desai, a complaint was filed by Advocate Rajeev Gomes and associates before the crime branch. Prior to that, a preliminary investigation into the case was conducted by the crime branch.

Recently, a leave and license agreement was signed by Delta Corp Ltd (NSE: DELTACORP), which owns The Deltin Group, the largest gaming company in India, to operate a casino inside the Denzong Regency Hotel in Gangtok, Sikkim. Approximately 150 gaming positions will be offered by the Company in its new live gaming casino, adding to the approximately 1,500 it currently offers in its three offshore casinos in Goa.

Meanwhile, the long-standing debate regarding the future of casinos in the southwest Indian state escalated recently when angry words were exchanged between local Indian National Congress opposition and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar during an official meeting held on July 28. For years, the casino issue has been highly debated in Goa and the already volatile situation intensified in June when the Goan government renewed the gaming license for Delta Corp’s subsidy, Delta Pleasure Cruise Company, and MV Royale Flotel – Deltin Caravela.

In addition to the MV Royale Flotel – Deltin Caravela, Delta Corp.,  also operates the Deltin Jaqk and Deltin Royale in Goa.