The activities of the clubs in the district are under scanner after the Guntur Urban Police busted a gambling den in North Club, one of the oldest in the city.
Similar activities in CR Club at Chilakaluripet and Capital Cultural Club at Dachepalli have been reported. The move comes in wake of allegations that club managements have been influencing local politicians, even police officials to ensure that they do not meddle in their illegal activities.
During the surprise raids conducted by Guntur Urban Superintendent of Police Ch. Vijaya Rao on Tuesday, as many as 172 men were picked up and a sum of ₹20.28 lakh was seized from them. All have been summoned for questioning. Police have also identified 72 staff members working in the club.
‘Game of skill’
But the raids also set the tongues wagging over the response of the law enforcing agencies on similar activities which are allegedly rampant in other clubs too. The police who had raided the clubs had to beat a retreat after the club managements cited High Court orders stating that the rummy was a game of skill.
On Tuesday, teams of quick reaction team, armed reserve and police personnel led by Guntur West DSP K.G.V. Saritha raided the club at 2 pm, taking the punters by surprise. The police identified 172 punters and seized coins from the organisers. The punters had no way out as police locked up the gates. They tried to hide wades of cash in wash rooms, but the police identified them. Some of the punters were from Vijayawada and Hyderabad too.
The North Club on the Pattabhipuram Road was started by a group of renowned advocate and chartered accountants. It has a lawn tennis court and an indoor shuttle badminton court. Allegations are being made that the management has leased out the premises to outsiders who began gambling allegedly with the support from political quarters.