Slug: Gambling DenAhmedabad: The State Monitoring Cell (SMC) of Gujarat Police on Sunday evening raided the controversial Manpasand Gymkhana in Dariapur, detaining more than 150 people allegedly involved in gambling and seizing cash, mobile phones, vehicles and other valuables worth several lakh rupees.The operation was conducted following a tip-off that a high-stakes gambling den was being run from the club premises. Police said those detained are being questioned, and legal proceedings under the Prevention of Gambling Act have been initiated.The raid was carried out by the Gandhinagar-based SMC, once again bypassing the local police. A senior police officer said the move could invite fresh scrutiny of policing and enforcement in the area.The latest action has once again brought Manpasand Gymkhana under scrutiny. The establishment has figured in several major gambling cases despite repeated police action in the past.In July 2021, the SMC raided the same premises and arrested 183 people in one of Ahmedabad’s biggest gambling crackdowns. The raid had far-reaching consequences, with almost the entire staff of Dariapur police station either suspended or transferred amid allegations of failing to act against the illegal activities.Police sources said the gambling operation allegedly resumed despite the crackdown. In Oct 2023, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch again raided the gymkhana and arrested its owner along with 26 others after investigators alleged that gambling was being conducted under the guise of skill-based games.The latest operation is among the largest gambling raids in the city in recent years and is expected to renew questions over how the establishment continued to function despite repeated enforcement action.
