Late Tuesday, the prevention of crime branch (PCB) of the Ahmedabad city police arrested the operator of Manpasand Gymkhana in Dariapur along with five alleged associates. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into gambling activities, and the arrests were made under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA).
The operation reflects the authorities’ commitment to tackling illegal gambling operations within the city. Details regarding the specific nature of the gambling activities or the identities of those arrested have not yet been disclosed.
The action followed a raid by the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) at the gymkhana on Aug 3. Police said the raid led to the detention of more than 180 people and the registration of a case against Govind Patel alias Gamo, 55, and others for allegedly facilitating gambling.
Police commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut said the preventive action was taken to curb organised gambling and prevent habitual offenders from exploiting legal loopholes to evade police action. Police officials said PASA was invoked to prevent the accused from allegedly continuing such activities and to deter habitual offenders from operating gambling networks. They were subsequently served with PASA detention orders and lodged in separate jails in Rajkot, Vadodara, Bhuj and Surat.
Police said the accused, who have criminal records, were apprehended late on Tuesday.