Seven Bengaluru policemen were booked for gambling. The policemen who were caught gambling comes at a time when the city police are running a high pitch campaign against betting since the start of the IPL tournament.
The incident has been reported within Puttenahalli Police Station limits. The policemen were caught gambling during a raid on October 19. The raids found the accused police staff were staying in a room in Nandini Hotel in JP Nagar and were allegedly gambling through an online platform. All of the accused have been booked under Sections 79 and 80 of the Karnataka Police Act. They have been suspended pending an enquiry. As per section 79 and 80 of the Act, running, permitting or furnishing money for the purpose of gaming in any place like a building, room, tent, enclosure, vehicle or others is an offence
Speaking with TNM, jurisdictional Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), Harish Pandey, said that the accused are of constable and head constable ranks. “They were gambling as part of a card game and were not betting on any IPL game. Some of them were attached to other police stations of the division and some were posted in the City Armed Reserve division.”
Incidentally on Tuesday too, the Central Crime Branch led by Joint Commissioner Of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil arrested two men in Malleshwaram. The CCB Bengaluru said that they recovered Rs 13.5 lakh cash and two mobile phones from them.
According to the police, the arrested have been identified as 48-year-old Hoysala Gowda, a resident of Sahakara Nagara, and 38-year-old Narasimhamurthy, a resident of Kodandarampura, Vyyalikaval. The CCB added that the duo had come with cash to disburse among the winners after collecting money from those who had lost the bet.
"The duo had chosen to meet winners at a juice corner in Malleshwaram, a bustling market area to meet the winners," the police said, and added that they got the information as the duo were discussing their future bets with the winners.
The police said the seizure was part of the IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and SunRisers Hyderabad team on Thursday last week.