Gambling Racket Busted, Hotel Owner Among 13 Arrested In Odisha Capital

Bhubaneswar: The enforcement team of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Sunday sealed two bars in Laxmisagar area following raids by the Commissionerate Police on Saturday night.

Acting on a tip-off about the gambling in some hotels and bars in the Cuttack Road area on Saturday night, a joint team of Saheed Nagar and Laxmisagar police led by the ACP of Zone-IV Rajat Ray raided the Pantagon Bar & Restaurant and arrested 13 persons including its owner Arabinda Mishra alias Aru, liquor trader Pintu Mohanty and a builder.

Police seized Rs 2,53,655 in cash, 18 mobile phones, playing cards and personal vehicles from their possession.

According to police, the hotel owner had booked room no 410, 411 and 412 for gambling for four days. A woman from Kolkata was hired on a contract of Rs 5000 per day for the purpose.

Police have seized the hard disk of the CCTV installed inside the hotel to identify the other visitors who were members of the gambling racket.

Apart from this hotel, the Commissionerate Police also raided the Nasa Bar in Laxmisagar area on Saturday night. The enforcement team of BDA sealed the bar on Sunday.