Eighteen arrested from gambling den in Andheri

Several IT professionals and businessmen involved

In its crackdown against the prostitution and gambling rackets running in the city, the Social Service (SS) branch of the Mumbai police recently busted a high profile case in Oshiwara.

Eighteen people were arrested, of them, several were IT professionals and businessmen, according to the SS branch officer.

Acting on a tip-off, a team from SS branch raided a gambling den running at Samartha Aishwarya building in Oshiwara. During the raid, two persons were arrested for running and managing the club, while sixteen others were arrested for several offences involved in gambling. "When the arrested people were taken to the police station and inquired about their profession, many of them were found out to be IT professionals and businessmen from well-to-do families," an SS branch officer said. The SS branch officers have recovered Rs 91,000 in cash and 2,120 poker coins reportedly worth Rs 35 lakh along with a diary of customer's record. After the raid, an offence under the sections of Maharashtra Gambling Act was registered at Oshiwara police station. All the eighteen accuse have been released on bail subsequently after the arrest. The investigation also revealed that the 700sqft flat, in which the club was operating since last few months, was rented by 32-year-old Monish Paleza for Rs 10,000 per day. According to the SS branch officer, such gambling clubs are allegedly running in the city in residential premises, and hence, it becomes difficult to raid them without the specific information.