Betting operations are thriving with police help, alleges Danve

MUMBAI: Ambadas Danve alleged a betting racket linked to Mumbai police, revealing names and connections to Pakistani cricketers in the legislative council.

MUMBAI: Leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Ambadas Danve, on Tuesday alleged that a huge betting racket is thriving in the city with the aid of senior officers of Mumbai police.

Betting operations are thriving with police help, alleges Danve

Danve was speaking in the legislative council and submitted a pen drive containing recorded audio clips related to the bets to council chairperson, Ram Shinde. He named individuals – Mahesh Jain, Kamlesh Jain, and Hiren Jain – who were involved in the alleged racket, adding that were associated with Pakistani cricketers. He also alleged that those who were betting in Champions Trophy using Lotus 24 app, were now in Mumbai to bet in the IPL.

Danve, who belongs to Shiv Sena (UBT), said the state had not published crime report in the last two years, during which time there were 564 incidents of communal violence in the state. This year, 22 rape cases and 45 molestation cases were registered every day. “There was no fear of law,” he said.

CM Fadnavis had stopped appointments of fixers, or those with a history of corruption, as personal assistants and officers on special duty. However, Danve said, a staffer called Vishal Rathod, personal assistant for the then Food and Drug Administration Minister Sanjay Rathod, took over land meant for Banjara Bhavan in 2023.

He spoke about how Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was lax about following rules by citing an example of Andheri East, “I have been complaining each month assistant commissioner Chakrapani Alle about an illegal structure and each time, storeys were added to it.” He also criticised BMC’s spree to privatise its civic hospitals and cited case of Bhagvati hospital in Borivali, which is being privatised.

He said records made in Pakistan were used to sell property in Mira Bhayander, which was then categorised as enemy property. He said the government had started Real Estate Regulatory Authority in the state to keep a check on builders, but it was just another body which has taken no concrete action has been taken against builders.