Vadodara, March 19 (IANS) In a crackdown on illegal gambling, the Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) raided a gambling den in Garadi village of Vadodara Rural district, and apprehended 10 individuals, police said.
The raid, which took place on the evening of March 18, led to the seizure of Rs 2.17 lakh in cash and valuables, exposing the local police’s inaction in the area.
Two main suspects, who were running the operation, managed to escape.
According to a complaint filed by an Assistant Sub-Inspector from the Gandhinagar SMC, intelligence was received about illegal gambling activities in Garadi village’s Motha Talavadi area.
Acting upon this information, a surprise raid was conducted at 6 p.m., resulting in the capture of 10 gamblers.
The two key operators of the gambling den fled the scene before they could be apprehended.
A case has been registered under Section 12 of the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act at the Shinor police station.
The arrested individuals hail from Vadodara city, Jambusar, Tilakwada, Dabhoi, Karjan, and Shinor talukas.
During the raid, officials seized Rs 1.60 lakh in cash and 10 mobile phones worth Rs 57,000, bringing the total recovered amount to Rs 2.17 lakh.
The significant cash seizure from a small village like Garadi has raised questions about the efficiency of Shinor police and its district staff, who were seemingly unaware of the ongoing gambling activities.
The arrested individuals have been handed over to the Chandod police station for further investigation.
The accused have been identified as Shailesh Shankar Prajapati from Vadodara, Ahmedkha Chhotukha Garasiya from Garadi, Talha Ismail Patel from Jambusar, Kirtan Bharat Brahmbhatt from Vadodara, Arvind Ambu Vasava from Tilakwada, Mohsin Akhtar Shaikh from Virpur, Amit Ramesh Panchal from Vadodara, Rahul Manu Kahar from Vadodara, Muzammil Mayuddin Mansuri from Dabhoi, and Zakir Kalu Malek from Choranda.
Authorities are continuing their search for the two absconding suspects who were operating the gambling den.
Further action is expected as part of the state’s crackdown on illegal activities.
Gujarat has witnessed several significant gambling-related incidents in recent times, highlighting the state’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal betting activities.
In Ahmedabad, during the Janmashtami festivities, law enforcement agencies intensified their operations against gambling.
These raids led to the booking of 632 individuals and the seizure of assets worth more than Rs 60 lakh.
The operations spanned all seven zones under the Ahmedabad City Police and the crime branch, resulting in 113 registered cases.
Notably, Zone 5, encompassing areas like Bapunagar, Gomtipur, Rakhiyal, Amraiwadi, Khokhara, Nikol, Odhav, and Ramol, recorded the highest number of cases at 33. This was followed by 29 cases in Zone 4, 20 in Zone 2, and 11 in Zone 1.
The eastern part of the city saw the most significant activity, with 69 cases filed, while 44 cases emerged from Sector 1 on the western side.
In Zone 4, which includes areas such as Dariyapur, Shahibaug, Krishnanagar, Meghaninagar, Naroda, and Sardarnagar, 201 individuals were apprehended, marking the highest number of arrests in a single zone.
In another notable incident, the Prevention of Crime Branch (PCB) in Ahmedabad busted a high-stakes gambling operation at a residential property near Khodiyar Farm on Ognaj Road.
The raid resulted in the arrest of 16 individuals and the confiscation of assets totalling Rs 23.4 lakh.
The seized items included Rs 7.2 lakh in cash, 18 mobile phones valued at Rs 4.61 lakh, three two-wheelers, a four-wheeler worth Rs 11.5 lakh, 104 playing cards, and seven card boxes.
The operation was reportedly orchestrated by 58-year-old Dilipbhai Amrutlal Patel, the owner of the Khodiyar Farm property.
The arrested individuals hailed from Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and nearby regions.
They have been charged under the Gujarat Prevention of Gambling Act, with investigations ongoing to uncover potential links to a broader network beyond Ahmedabad.
–IANS
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