There is a speculation that some prominent names are missing from the list while some names have been changed or misspelled; name of a recently elected young representative of the people is also missing from the list.
Initiating raid on Hotel Centre Point results in transfer of a DCP
Nagpur: Gone are the days when there was nobody to question the police officials, their functioning and the status of the cases. When there is an undue delay in the investigation or action in a particular case, social workers ask the authorities about the action taken. When they do not get satisfactory answers, they get the details through Right to Information Act (RTI).
In a similar action, a prominent social activist Sanjay Badriprasad Agrawal demanded some details of the action taken against those who were allegedly gambling at Hotel Centre Point through Right to Information Act.
He had demanded information on the action taken against the alleged gambling at Hotel Centre Point situated at Ramdaspeth on the eve of Diwali. The other details demanded were as follows:
1. A copy of the FIR registered against the offenders
2. The list of the people who were apprehended during the raid and the penal action taken against them.
3. A copy of the statements given by the people who were gambling and apprehended during the raid.
4. A copy of the Excise License permitting liquor to be served in the party.
5. The action initiated against the Hotel authorities for serving liquor without permission.
6. The copy of the permission for the dancing which was going on during the party (as claimed by some media).
7. The details of amount of cash and other goods seized during the raid.
8. The names of people against whom the cash was registered and the list of goods seized.
Based on the above demands, the Sitabuldi Police Station has provided information to Sanjay Badriprasad Agrawal and has stated the following:
1.The First Information Report (FIR) registered against the gamblers is FIR. No. 4890/14 under sections 4 & 5 of Maharashtra Gambling Act and under sub-section 68 Maharashtra Liquor Act, sub-sections 33 and 131 of Maharashtra Police Act and a copy of the same is attached.
2. The list of all the gamblers who were apprehended during the raid are as follows:
1. Raghukant Prem Agrawal
2. Sahil Jaiprakash Devan
3. Saurabh Vishal Luhiya
4. Devendra Surendrasingh Kapur
5. Anand Murlidhar Thakre
6. Amit Arun Thakur
7. Sunil Shivlal Chopda
8. Ajay Vijay Singhania
9. Ravi Shivkishan Agrawal
10. Prateek Ashok Agrawal
11. Ripal Amit Kumar
12. Sukhpreet Amarjeet Mukund
13. Rohit Raman Potdar
14. Raveena Mukesh Thakur
15. Karan Devendra Bedi
16. Lokesh Rameshwar Thakur
17. Mandeep Harpitasingh
18. Naresh Yendlal Agrawal
19. Amit Daulatram Reteja
20. Dipika Abhinay Thakur
21. Sameer Vargun Tiwari
22. Abhinay Uday Thakur
23. Rajkumar Shahu
24. Madhu Ashok Agrawal
25. Swastik Shankar Vishwas
26. Mazhar Sheikh
27. Vineet Shramrani
28. Rajkumar Sinha
29. Ojas Waswani
30. Shashank Pathak
31. Ajay Agrawal
32. A Ahmed A Akhtar
3. The copy of the statements of all the gamblers who were apprehended during the raid.
4. The copy of the Liquor license of Excise Department for serving liquor during the party.
5. The action initiated against the Hotel authorities for serving liquor without permission. –Not Applicable
6. The copy of the permission for the alleged dancing which was going on during the party (as claimed by some media). – Not Applicable.
7. Since no amount of cash was seized however, the list of goods seized during the raid is attached.
The list of goods seized is as follows:
1. CCTV Footage Machine
2. Registers
3. Token used for gambling
4. Banner
5. Note-books
6. Roller Wheel
7. Playing Cards
8. 3-4 partially filled bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and 30-35 empty bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor.
9. No amount was seized from any particular person during the raid nor was any document seized that showed how much money was put-in by whom.
However, since Nagpur Today was present at close proximity to the Hotel Centre Point when the raid was taking place, many prominent people were seen escaping the spot.
There is a speculation that some very prominent names are missing from the list while some names have been changed or misspelled purposely. Name of a recently elected young elected representative of the people is also missing from the list, while he was very much present at the Hotel during the raid. A look at the statements which were recorded by the cops too showed undue dilution of the offence.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhinash Kumar who initiated the raid was transferred from Zone 1 to Zone 3, since he continuing in Zone 1 was a threat to the reputation of many prominent citizens especially when he was investigating the case of gambling. One more prominent incident that occurred at the exact moment when the raid was going on in full swing, unfortunately a prominent citizen of Jaripatka was murdered. This murder had angered the residents of Jaripatka and they had resorted to rioting. On receipt of this information, DCP Abhinash Kumar had to rush to the spot, since the residents were alleged throwing stones at the police vehicles and cops. However the situation at Jaripatka was brought under control but the focus of the investigation and the raid was shifted for some very vital period.
The organizers of the gambling are identified as The Nagpur Authur Round Table They were allegedly trying to raise funds for the construction of additional classrooms and for other philanthropic activities. However, they had allegedly finalized on organizing gambling to raise funds for these philanthropic activities. Many prominent persons who were present at the venue on the occasion claimed that they were present purely to ensure complete quorum of the office-bearers. They had also allegedly claimed that they were mute spectators to the gambling and had not participated actively in gambling. However, since they were in the wrong place at the right time, they were also apprehended by the police.