40 arrested for gambling at illegal casinos in Gurugram farmhouse

The primary suspects used to invite people and host casino nights at their farmhouse and were making more than ₹20 lakh a month, said investigators

Published on: Sep 17, 2023, 23:35:51 IST

By Leena Dhankhar, Gururgam

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Forty people were arrested on Friday night for running an illegal casino from a farmhouse in Gururgam’s Sector 79, police officers aware of the matter said on Sunday, adding that ₹2.10 lakh cash, casino tables, and tokens were recovered from the suspects.

Before raiding the farmhouse, the police formed a team that conducted a reconnaissance of the area to confirm the illegal gambling network. (Representational image)

Acting on a tip, police raided the farmhouse and arrested the 40 suspects while they were placing bets, said investigators. Before raiding the farmhouse, the police formed a team that conducted a reconnaissance of the area to confirm the illegal gambling network.

Among the arrested suspects were three organisers of the racket, identified as Krishna Kumar, 54, Surendra Kumar, 57, and Manish of Ramnagar, 33.

According to Varun Dahiya, assistant commissioner of police (crime), these people were the primary suspects and owners of the house. “They used to invite people and host casino nights at the farmhouse. They’d been gambling for over a decade and were making more than ₹20 lakh a month,” he said.

According to police, the Sikanderpur crime unit team was patrolling the area when they received information that the suspects were running the online casino from their home.

Dahiya said that a team kept a close eye on the house and obtained a search warrant on Friday. “The suspects were playing casino in the farmhouse’s drawing room. During interrogation, they admitted that they had set up the house to play casino games and used to place bets. We suspect the gang is also involved in a money laundering ring. We also seized a diary that listed transactions and customer names along with money transactions,” he added.

“It was also discovered during the preliminary investigation that the suspects were linked to an organised online casino racket. The gang members used to visit Goa casinos and were also connected there. Their strategy was to create a WhatsApp group and add regular customers or those who had references to other group members. No outsiders were allowed to join the group,” he said.

A case under sections 13A, 3 and 67 of the Gambling Act was registered on Saturday at Manesar police station.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More