Matka den in PMC gym ‘disappears’ before police raid, no case registered

Plainclothes policemen at the empty parking space of the PMC ‘gym’ in Narayan Peth on Thursday. On Wednesday, The Indian Express had witnessed gambling activities going on here. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

A matka (gambling) centre, which had been operating for several months inside a building owned by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in Narayan Peth, seemed to “disappear” on Thursday, following a news report about it in The Indian Express.

When a police team from Vishrambag police station “raided” the spot, it could not find anyone. PMC officials and BJP corporator Rajesh Yenpure also visited the building, which was constructed for housing a gymnasium. The political leaders who had contributed their development funds for the construction of the building include BJP MLA Girish Bapat, who is the district guardian minister, as well as a few corporators. “We raided the spot, but found nobody. So, no offence was registered in this case,” said Senior Police Inspector Appasaheb Shevale.

Asked if police were going to take any preventive action against the matka den operator, who is reportedly a local resident, Shevale said, “We would have taken action if anybody was found on spot. But we found nobody.” A policeman was deployed in the building for the whole day.

A matka chit at the spot. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

On Wednesday, reporters from The Indian Express had visited the matka centre and also paid money for a ‘single patti’ of ‘Kalyan Open’ matka. When queried on the issue, Mayor Mukta Tilak had told the paper that following complaints from local residents, she had informed police about the matka centre, but police “didn’t revert”. Meanwhile, some youths cleaned up the premises, removing garbage, including matka chits and alcohol bottles, from the site.

Following the news report, a few aides of Bapat, as well as BJP corporator Rajesh Yenpure and PMC deputy engineer Sambhaji Khot, visited the building on Thursday afternoon. Yenpure, along with Mayor Mukta Tilak, is among the four BJP corporators who won the civic election from Prabhag 15, where the building is located. “I was shocked to read the report about the matka den operating at this place,” said Yenpure.

READ | PMC gym in Mayor’s area, developed by BJP minister Bapat’s funds, turns into flourishing matka den

The news report on the den

He discussed the issue with members of the Mati Ganpati Mandal, which was entrusted the task of running the gym in the building. The corporator also slammed the Mandal members over their negligence and asked PMC officials to cover the parking space with iron sheds, to prevent troublemakers from entering the premises. Despite several attempts, Bapat could not be reached for comment on Wednesday or Thursday.

Meanwhile, NCP corporator Chetan Tupe, the leader of opposition in the PMC, demanded an inquiry to find out how the building was being used for illegal purposes. “It is shocking that a PMC gym, developed with the BJP MLA’s funds, was misused for playing matka. Mayor Tilak cannot evade responsibility by saying that she had informed police but the cops “didn’t revert”. The BJP is in power in the civic body and the party has to answer why the Mayor did not use the PMC machinery, which includes a force of 1,800 security guards, to throw out the matka den operatives…,” said Tupe.

PMC officials at the site. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

“An inquiry, headed by a retired judge, should be conducted to find out who operated the matka den in PMC’s gym, and who helped them do so… and why police did not take any action in the past to stop this illegal act,” he said.

The mayor “could not wash her hands off the issue”, said RTI activist Vivek Velankar. “Despite knowing about the matka den, the Mayor failed to close it down. It is a shame. She should have gathered BJP activists and forced police to take action against the illegal matka centre. But nothing like that happened… it is suspicious,” said Velankar.