Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police arrested 50 gamblers in six raids carried out this month, including the one conducted Monday, in which 10 persons were nabbed and Rs 1.39 lakh was seized.
Every year, during Puja, police conduct raids and arrest gamblers. Of them, a large number hail from the southern areas of the state where it is a tradition to gamble during this time.
However, an investigation by Orissa POST revealed that Orissa Special Armed Police (OSAP) jawans too are engaged in gambling at the Reserve Police office throughout the year, right under the nose of the Commissionerate Police.
Every morning, several batches of policemen play cards and this continues late into the night. Ironically, the police arrest poor gamblers who bet a paltry Rs 100 to Rs 1,000, whereas OSAP constables place bets of around Rs 25,000.
The gambling takes place at the back of a garage located in front of the common mess at the Reserve Office in Jayadev Vihar. It is suspected that OSAP constables might be taking alcohol there as empty liquor bottles were found scattered around the place.
According to sources, the sergeant during patrol spotted them gambling at the same place around a year ago. Subsequently, the illegal activity was stopped for some months following his strict instructions. However, later they again started it at an isolated corner of the RO. Initially, the reserve inspector denied that gambling was going on in the campus. However, after he was confronted with video evidence by the correspondent, he said, “If any constable is found gambling on the campus, stern action will be taken,” and admitted that the personnel might be playing cards somewhere out of the range of CCTV cameras.
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