PANAJI
A day after Goa Forward MLA Vijai Sardesai released a sting video alleging illegal live gaming at land-based casinos in North Goa, the Crime Branch conducted a raid at a Candolim casino and arrested 11 persons allegedly caught red-handed operating and participating in a live card game of chance.
The raid was conducted in the early hours of Tuesday at Puppys Casino Gold in Candolim with gambling paraphernalia including a card table, display screens, a shuffler shoe, playing cards, and chips, estimated at approx Rs 35 lakh seized. The accused, booked under Sections 3 and 4 of the Goa, Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act were however released on bail soon thereafter.
Superintendent of Police (North) Rahul Gupta stated that the accused hailing from Goa, Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka and Delhi, included casino staff members -- a dealer and a shift manager, too.
“They have been booked for allegedly operating and participating in the game of ‘Andhar Bahar’, a banned live card game,” the officer said.
The raid comes following serious allegations made by Sardesai, who on Tuesday posted a video on social media claiming to have conducted a random sting operation at Casino Gold-Candolim, Casino Atlantiz in Calangute and Phoenix Casino in Pilerne. In the video, he alleged that illegal live gaming was underway at these land casinos, in clear violation of gaming regulations, which only allow live gaming on offshore vessels.
“This isn’t a regulatory failure; it is wilful collusion between the Home Department and casino operators. This is the video evidence,” Sardesai posted, demanding immediate action.
