Police arrested 72 persons including 60 businessmen from Gujarat. (Representational)

In a midnight raid on a gambling pit being operated at a resort located in Lonavala hill station near Pune, the district police arrested 72 persons including 60 businessmen from Gujarat.

A team from Pune Rural police conducted a raid at the resort located off Pune-Mumbai Highway on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, following a tip-off received from informants.

Sub Divisional Police Officer for Lonavala Division, Navneet Kanvat told The Indian Express, “A gambling pit was set up in a big assembly hall at the resort and card games were being played where both cash and gambling chips were being used. We have arrested 72 persons including 60 men and 12 women. These men are businessmen from Gujarat and women were hired as servers.”

Assistant inspector Vaibhav Swami said, “Along with the 72 persons we have arrested, we have also booked the director and manager of the resort.” The suspects have been booked under Maharashtra anti-gambling legislation and also for violation of the Epidemic Diseases Act among other legal provisions.

Police said the businessmen belong to various places in Gujarat and had travelled to Pune by flight and private cars.

In the raid, police have seized cash of over Rs 3 lakh and gambling chips of face value of over Rs 40 lakh.