Barwani: Barwani police on Thursday night raided Maharana Club owned by the municipal council president Santosh Patni's husband. Police arrested 48 persons allegedly involved in gambling and seized Rs 3,30,000 cash. Apart from this, 821 tokens, 364 packets of cards and 15 two-wheelers were also seized from the club.
Additional superintendent of police DR Prajapati informed that a case has also been registered against club president and district Congress vice president Shekhar Patni, husband of municipal council president.
According to ASP Prajapati, the club was operated by Patni, who is also president of the club. Police arrested 48 persons from the club along with cash and tokens. Search for absconding Patni is on, Prajapati said.
Officer informed that the club was started to conduct sports and recreational activities, but for a long time gambling was being done here under the pretext of playing Rummy.
On the other hand, Patni in his statement claimed that Maharana Club is a registered club and with permission to play table tennis, gym and carrom, and rummy. They have also been conducting these activities for almost 30 years now.
“It’s unfair to lay act on me since I’m the club's administrator and the president”, Patni said. He added that how can the police register case against him in his absence.
Municipal council president Santosh claimed that people do play rummy in other clubs and there is nothing wrong in that.
Earlier, chaos prevailed at the club following the police raid. Police have registered cases against them under the Public Gambling Act.
Those who were arrested hail from Anjad, Rajpur, Singhana, Sendhwa, Dharampuri, Bakaner, Niwali and other places.
