Cuttack: Although the Silver City has virtually turned into a hotbed of illegal gambling, the police seem to have been playing host to such illegal activities.
Internet gambling, playing cards and dice gambling are rampant in various police station jurisdictions in the city and are allegedly being operated under the patronage of the police. However, instead of curbing the illegal gambling, the police have virtually become sponsors of such illegal activities.
While illegal gambling pushes many people into heavy debt burden and ruins many families, the police are turning a blind eye because the lion’s share of the profits of illegal gambling dens is allegedly going to the pockets of police personnel. Although the police sometimes conduct raids on the gambling dens, they are merely an eyewash, it is alleged.
Sources said five to 10 gambling dens are operating in each police station jurisdiction. The Purighat police April 26 night conducted a raid on a high-profile gambling racket near Dolamundai Square and arrested nine persons. The police also elicited crucial information from them. However, the cops intentionally did not go ahead with the case, suspecting it would expose their nexus with the gambling racketeers.
Similarly, the police had raided a gambling hideout at Mallasahi of Jobra May 4 after some local youths had complained about it. The youths had told the police that gambling activities were rampant in areas like Badambadi, Purighat, Manglabag, Malgodown, Lalbag, Cantonment, CDA, Chauliganj, Madhupatna and Jagatpur.
Apart from traditional play of cards and dice, online gambling is also highly popular in the city. Some websites offer online games of chances and betting on them hits lakhs of rupees. Although the state government has banned online gambling, the racket is allegedly being operated from Sikkim.
Similarly, Gold Wins application is another gambling app found in Google Play Store. The app has some specific number on which betting is done. The gamblers bet Rs 5 to Rs 10 on each number and the results are declared online within 15 minutes. If the number wins, the gamblers get up to Rs 50 per number.
College students are largely attracted towards this form of gambling. Recently, such gambling was busted in Lalbag and Purighat police limits. However, gambling racketeers are getting away scot-free due to the undue favour of the police.
Sources said the police get Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 from each gambling den per month. Although the police have raided 14 gambling hideouts in the city in the past two years, only 12 persons were arrested, sources in the Commissionerate Police said.
Social activist Dilip Mohanty said, “The police arrest the gamblers just to hoodwink people. In reality, the police themselves back the illegal activities. They do so because the lion’s share of the profit is going to them (the police).”
“Gambling rackets are operating under some police stations in the city. Such illegal activities are not new to the city, it has been going on for a long time now,” a former senior police officer said on condition of anonymity.
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