31 Arrested in Pune Over Illegal Horse Racing Betting

Police arrested 31 men on Friday night at six different spots in Pune for allegedly running an illegal horse racing betting racket.

City police have filed six charges against the arrested men after recovering six laptops, 31 mobile phones, cash, and other items allegedly used to run the betting operation, worth a total of Rs. 3.41 Lakhs.

Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta had ordered the raids on Friday, and they were carried out under the command of deputy commissioner of police Pankaj Deshmukh.

Deshmukh said: "Accepting bets outside the premises of racecourses is not allowed according to the provisions of the Bombay Racecourse Licensing Act. One must bet on a horse on the premises of a racecourse. If bets are accepted beyond the premises of a racecourse, it is illegal in nature. These men were found accepting bets from people over phones and through online means."

The police have invoked provisions of the Gambling Act, Bombay Racecourse Licensing Act and Section 420 (cheating) of the IPC against the arrested persons.

Police regularly execute operations against those they suspect of betting illegally and betting online. In August 29 people were arrested for gambling at a house in Chennai, and three men were taken into custody for playing poker on a Chinese app back in July.