Panaji: A big casino company, including Salgaonkar, Dhempa, and Chaugule Udyog Group, donated over Rs 10 crore from electoral bonds to the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward and other political parties ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. While the BJP is yet to announce the quantum of donations it received through electoral bonds, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Congress, and Goa Forward have admitted to receiving funds since 2019.
VM Salgaonkar Private Limited Company, owned by Dattaraj Salgaonkar, was the biggest donor. While Salgaonkar company donated Rs 4.5 crore, Dhempo company donated Rs 2.4 crore to political parties ahead of the 2022 assembly polls. Srinivas Dhempo, chairman of Dhempo Udyog Group, made a personal donation of Rs 1.25 crore from the bond.
Most of these bonds were purchased in January 2022, ahead of the announcement of assembly elections in Goa. The state was elected on February 14, 2022. Chaugule company purchased bonds worth Rs 2 crore in two phases. Muppana Venkata Rao, chairman of MVR Group, one of the largest infrastructure contractors in Goa, purchased bonds worth Rs 90 lakh in two phases in July 2023.
Delta Corp., which operates the casino under the Deltin brand, made donations of 40 lakh in April 2019. Before the 2022 elections, MGP received donations of Rs 35 lakh from Shivanand Salgaonkar Group Company and Rs 20 lakh from V S Dhempo and Company in January this year.