Police bust colleagues 'going easy' on gambling at resort

MUMBAI: Five policemen, including the senior inspector of Valiv police station, Vasai, have been transferred for going easy on a gambling racket inside a resort on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. A departmental inquiry has been initiated against all.
Recently, Palghar's district superintendent of police, Gaurav Singh, directed senior inspector Bharat Jadhav to raid Krishna Resorts after he was informed of largescale gambling ahead of Janmashtami. Jadhav, along with assistant police inspector Sudhir Dayarkar, and constables Sachin Chavan, Umesh Patil, and Vijay Chavan, raided the resort around 10.30pm. Four gamblers were arrested under the Bombay Gambling Act and let off on payment of a fine. Rs 6,000 in cash was seized at the spot. The "successful raid" was communicated to the SP.

But hours after the raid, an informer brought it to the SP's notice that three of those arrested were back at the gambling tables and bets were being placed with vigour. Around 2am on Sunday, a surprise raid was carried out at the resort by a team personally selected by the SP. This time, the Valiv police were not informed. A police officer said that swanky cars were lined up outside the resort. People from as far as Udaipur, Baroda, Kheda and Surat, besides from Mira Road, Borivli, etc, were found placing bets. The raiding party swept down on the gamblers and arrested 64 men. Rs 1 crore in cash was seized from the spot. The gamblers' cars too were seized. Those arrested were booked under the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act. They were later released on bail.

Action will be initiated against the resort's owner and the organiser of the gambling party, said a police officer. The digital video recorder (DVR) of the resort has been seized to get details about gambling activity. Police sources said the gambling party was planned months ago and people were to place bets around Janmashtami as it was considered auspicious.

The five policemen have been transferred to the Palghar control room. Gupta confirmed to TOI that there was prima facie evidence that the cops had erred. "A report will be submitted on how they conducted the raid," said Gupta.