₹26 lakh seized as Gujarat SMC cracks down on illegal gambling in Gandhinagar

In a major crackdown on illegal gambling, a team of the Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell (SMC) conducted a late-night raid in an open field at Hajipur village near Manabhai’s farm in Santej, Gandhinagar district, and seized cash, vehicles and mobile phones worth over ₹26 lakh. Eleven persons were detained and handed over to the Santej police station, while six others are absconding.

According to the police, the raid was carried out on December 21 under provisions of the Prevention of Gambling Act and section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Acting on specific inputs about organised gambling activity, the SMC team swooped down on the location and caught several people allegedly gambling in the open field.

During the search, the police seized cash amounting to ₹4.30 lakh, 10 mobile phones worth ₹1.26 lakh, and five vehicles valued at approximately ₹20.60 lakh. The total value of the muddamal (seized property) stands at ₹26.16 lakh, officials said.

The 11 accused detained in the raid have been identified as Rajendrabhai Patel, Uaufmiya Qureshi, Ashokji Thakor, Jatin Patel, Nareshbhai Parmar, Maheshji Thakor, Usmanbhai Jadav, Jagdishbhai Patel, Dashrathji Thakor, Sanjay Thakor and Ajitsinh Makwana.

Police said six persons are currently wanted in the case. These include Dineshji Thakor, identified as the main accused, and his alleged partner Mohsinkhan Pathan, Others on the run include Kadar Qureshi, Mukesh Thakor, and two unidentified persons who reportedly arrived at the gambling spot on a motorcycle bearing registration number and an unnumbered Activa scooter.

An FIR has been registered at Santej police station, and further investigation is under way to trace the absconding accused and ascertain the scale of the gambling operation. Police said efforts are also being made to identify the organisers and financiers behind the illegal activity.