Nagpur: In the biggest action of the year, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone IV) Nilesh Bharne and his squad on Monday night raided a high-profile gambling den being operated in the name of an entertainment centre near Chhota Tajbag in Sakkardara area. The raiding cops rounded up 27 gamblers, including the office-bearers of the organisation, red-handed while busy in exchanging gamble money in lakhs. Apart from cash of Rs 1.48 lakh, police seized one car, four two-wheelers, more than 30 mobile phones and other gambling material collectively worth Rs 7-8 lakh.
The raided Sports and Recreation Centre is being operated by Fulsingh Naik Krida Mandir in Chhota Tajbagh area under Sakkardara police jurisdiction. The Board of Directors Fulsingh Krida Mandir include Rajesh Kadu (Chairman), Raju Chahande (Vice-Chairman), Suryakant Chaurasia (Secretary), Damodar Kuhikar (Treasurer) and Kisna Nikhare, Mohd Jameel, Manoj Jain, and Praful Tadvekar are members. For name sake, Fulsingh Naik Krida Mandir runs the Sports and Recreation Centre but the DCP Bharne received secret inputs that a hi-tech gambling den is being operated from the centre with lakhs exchanging hands.
Acting on the inputs, the DCP ordered a close watch on the activities of the entertainment centre. After confirming the dubious activities, The DCP and his special squad swooped on the gambling den around 7 pm on Monday. The raiding cops found total 27 gamblers busy in the game.
The accused have been identified as Board of Directors of Fulsingh Naik Krida Mandir Rajesh Dayaram Kadu, Raju Sahadeo Chahande (Both Presidents), Suryakant Chaurasia (Secretary), Damodar Kuhikar (Treasurer), and Kishna Domaji Nikhare (Member), Bhagwanji Aamge, Manoj Jain, and 20 others other.
Paan Thela played the key role:
The high-profiles gamblers used to collect tokens and coins from a paan thela named Taj Paan Palace, situated outside the centre after depositing the cash with the thela owner. After gambling, the winners again used to deposit the coins and token with the ppan thela and collect cash. Even meals were being served to the gamblers at the card room and they used to stay at the club throughout the night. Most of the accused arrested were not the members of the club. Manoj Jain and Suryakant Chaurasia are alleged to be the masterminds of the ‘gambling den.’
Sakkardara cops have booked the 27 gamblers including Suryakant Chaurasia (45), resident of Sitabuldi and Manoj Jain (42) of Wardhaman Nagar under relevant sections of the Gambling Act.
