In a joint operation, Dehradun Police and the Special Task Force (STF) uncovered an illegally operated casino being run from a house located deep within the Saliyawala forest area. The authorities arrested 12 individuals, including the house owner, and seized ₹89,000 in cash, 1,900 casino coins, and 12 mobile phones from the scene.
According to police, the house was discreetly being used as a makeshift casino, attracting gamblers from outside the state. During interrogation, several of the arrested individuals revealed they had traveled from Delhi and were visiting Dehradun for the first time solely to gamble. They admitted to frequently traveling across states to participate in illegal gambling activities and had coordinated with local contacts in Dehradun, including house owner Shashank and residents Umesh Rawat and Vikram Shah.
The accused confessed that instead of carrying large amounts of cash, they often dealt verbally with a designated person for all monetary exchanges, reducing the risk of detection. Local individuals, including the house owner, claimed the visitors from Delhi were their friends, though the setup was evidently arranged for gambling.
Police are continuing the investigation to determine the broader network and possible links to other illegal gambling operations in the region.
