Metropolitan Police Beat, Balaju, on Friday evening raided a private house in Tarakeshwor-9, Kathmandu, arrested 16 found gambling and confiscated Rs. 625,000 from them, officials said.
Acting on a tip-off, a team led by Metropolitan Police Circle Balaju chief Ranjit Singh Rathour arrested the gamblers at a room rented by Dinesh Panta at Shubhakamana Chowk.
“Upon the arrest, we found that the people were not locals. They were playing cards professionally,” Rathour told the Post.
“They will be charged under the Gambling Act 1963,” said Rathour. “Further investigation into the case is underway,” he added.
According to the Gambling Act, those arrested for a first-time gambling offence are liable to a fine not exceeding Rs 200. Repeat offenders are liable to a jail sentence ranging from a month to a year.
“The majority of complaints [on gambling] are received from the family of the gamblers or the neighbours living near gambling dens. We act immediately when we receive such information,” said Deputy Superintendent Hobindra Bogati, spokesperson for Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range.
According to official data, during the 2018/19 fiscal, police detained 2,869 people in connection with gambling—the highest in last three years. Nearly 40 percent (1,161) of the arrests were made in Kathmandu Valley.
“It’s not just during the festive seasons, many are found gambling on other days as well,” said Bogati. “But we are strict when it comes to enforcing the law and there shall be zero tolerance against gambling.”
Shuvam Dhungana was a crime and social affairs reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before joining the Post, Dhungana worked for The Himalayan Times and Republica.
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