76 booked in gambling racket at hotel Fiza

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A day after the sensational raid at Hotel Fiza Restaurant and Bar in Cidco N-6, the Crime Branch of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has officially registered an FIR against 76 individuals for their alleged involvement in a large-scale gambling operation.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided the premises on the night of June 13 and caught the accused red-handed playing a card game called “Zhabhamna” on two floors of the establishment. A total of Rs 18.51 lakh worth of gambling material, including cash, playing cards, digital payment devices, and betting records, was seized and sealed in 94 packets. The accused, including several from Jalna and various localities of Sambhajinagar, were detained at the scene. A Paytm swipe machine and QR code linked to an account named Ganesh Shewale Patil were also recovered, suggesting digital transactions in the gambling setup. Police have filed charges under Sections 4 and 5 of the Bombay Prevention of Gambling Act. The FIR was lodged by PSI Sandip Shinde at the Crime Branch, who was part of the team that conducted the late-night raid. The premises were reportedly provided by Pravin Jaiswal, owner of Om Namo Shivay Social & Cultural Activities, who is also booked for allowing the space to be used for illegal activities. Senior officers confirmed that further investigation is underway to trace the financial trail and uncover possible links to organized gambling networks.