Illegal gambling den raided in Peruchi Baug area of Nashik; 29 booked and cash, items worth 60L seized

Nashik: The city police on Tuesday evening raided a gambling den in the Indiranagar area, where they seized cash and various items, including vehicles of the people engaged in card games, worth over Rs60 lakh. A case was registered against 29 individuals, said the police.The raid was organised after constable Nandkumar Nandurdikar of crime branch unit 2 received a tip-off that a gambling den was operating in the Peruchi Baug area under Indiranagar police station. The participants had been seen gambling by playing card games in a tin shed in the middle of a field in Pathardi village.Senior crime branch officers of the city police commissionerate were informed, and the den was raided at 7.40pm on Tuesday. The police said they found that two suspects, Palse village resident Anwar Shaikh and Wadalagaon resident Sameer Pathan, had set up the illegal gambling den. They had arranged for chairs, tables, an air cooler, and other equipment for gamblers in exchange for money.At least 13 people were detained at the spot during the raid, while some others managed to flee, leaving their vehicles behind. The police then seized five cars, an autorickshaw, 15 motorcycles and cellphones, apart from cash and other articles worth over Rs60 lakh.A case was registered against 29 people in total under the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act. The raid was conducted by a crime branch unit 2 team led by API Hemant Todkar, under the guidance of CP Sandeep Karnik, DCP (crime) Prashant Bacchav and ACP (crime) Sandeep Mitke.