Delhi: Gambling den run in snooker parlour busted, 9 held

The snooker parlour at Krishna Nagar near east Delhi’s Shahdara had been operating as a gambling den for at least six months.

The police have busted a gambling racket run inside a snooker parlour at Krishna Nagar near east Delhi’s Shahdara and arrested, nine men, including the caretaker.

Customers would place bets on the number of points they would win in a game of snooker. (HT Photo)

The snooker parlour had been operating as a gambling den for at least six months. Customers would place bets on the number of points they would win in a game of snooker.

For an outsider, they would look like normal players engaged in a game of snooker. But in reality, they were placing bets on the number of points they win.

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For example, if a customer placed a bet on 500 points and won it, the winning amount went to him. Out of this amount, the caretaker charged 10 % commission.

Deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Nupur Prasad said the police got a tip-off on the gambling sessions being organised at the snooker parlour.

A police team was formed and constable Pawan was sent as a decoy customer. At the parlour, he was asked to pay a minimum amount of R 120 for playing snooker and R 500 for gambling.

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“The decoy was successful and on his signal, the parlour was raided. The police found that the parlour was being running by caretaker Nitin Manocha. Nine persons were arrested and a case under sections 3 and 4 of the Delhi Public Gambling Act was registered at Krishna Nagar police station,” said Prasad.

CCTV cameras had been installed. The caretaker and the owner would keep a close watch on customers and monitor the games. When police or a shopkeeper approached the parlour, the customers would be alerted and they would pretend as if they were playing regular snooker games.

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Manocha told police the owner of the parlour, Manish Chhabra, is absconding. “Manocha said he worked as a caretaker. They used to charge R 500 for gambling and 10 % commission from the person who won the bet,” Prasad said. Police are looking for Chhabra.

On interrogation, the police found that the eight arrested persons frequently gambled at the parlour. Investigation was on.