Back-to-back crackdowns in Waluj: illegal liquor racket busted at hotel; ₹90 thousand seized in gambling den raid

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | Waluj Metropolitan:

Waluj MIDC police and the crime branch’s anti-narcotics unit carried out two major raids on Wednesday evening, busting an illegal liquor racket at a local hotel and cracking down on a gambling den in the Ranjangaon Shenpunji area.

Liquor consumption racket at Mavshi Hotel

Acting on a tip-off, Waluj MIDC police raided Mavshi Hotel on the Vadgaon Kolhati–Tisgaon road and found liquor being illegally supplied and consumed. The raid, led by assistant police inspector Manoj Shinde under the supervision of the police inspector, resulted in a case being registered against 10 individuals.

Inside the hotel, several customers were caught drinking at three separate tables. Chandrakant Raut, a resident of Cidco Mahanagar, confessed to operating the illegal liquor joint. He and eight others were found in an intoxicated state. Rajkumar Pundge and Ramdas Pacharne were reportedly serving water and glasses to the patrons.

Gambling den raided in Ranjangaon

In a separate operation, the crime branch’s anti-narcotics team raided a gambling den running under a tin shed in Ranjangaon Shenpunji. Based on information received by police constable Lalkhan Pathan, a team led by police inspector Vijay Vasant Tribhuvan apprehended 13 individuals for gambling on a cash-based card game named Sorat (Andar-Bahar).

The den, allegedly operated by Sunny Vijay Pawar of Kamalapur Phata under a banner, was on land owned by Anup Pimpale. The raid yielded Rs 90,490 in cash, gambling cards, tokens, nine mobile phones, and banners. Those arrested include Deepak Gaikwad, Mahesh Muknar, Rajesh Nikhalje, Maroti Dongre, Shivaji Kadam, Sunil Patange, Avinash Chothmal, Gajanan Mukhade, Bhimraj Shejwal, Santosh Magar, Manoj Rajane, and Vijay Salve. All have been booked under the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act. Both actions underscore a larger police push to curb illegal activities in Waluj’s semi-urban and industrial belts.