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Meghalaya: Protests erupt against The Meghalaya Gaming Act and the state’s legalization of casinos
The members of the four pressure groups led by HANM, MPSO, MPUF, and RBYO flocked to the entrance of a building that was purportedly designated as a casino in Khanapara, Ri Bhoi District, to demonstrate their resistance to the state of Meghalaya’s legalization of casinos and the Meghalaya Gaming Act. The NGO representatives said they wanted to
see the building’s owner during the protest at the front entrance of the supposed building in Khanapara, but when they received no response, the pressure group members were infuriated and kicked the gate. The pressure group’s protest is supported by the local MLA of Umroi, George B. Lyngdoh, who is also the TMC leader. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the deputy
chief minister, Prestone Tynsong, and Cabinet Minister James PK Sangma’s effigies were set ablaze in Byrnihat, Ri-Bhoi by Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) to symbolize the protesters’ expression of disagreement. In order to express their objection to the casino
project before this, the pressure group organised a public procession from Lad Umsaw to the office
of the traditional chief of Raid Marwet. The HITO protesters staged a sit-in in the middle of NH-6, causing a traffic jam that was eventually cleared by police after they were stopped near Byrnihat by the district administration and police. The Meghalaya Gaming Act, according to
Lyngdoh, has three main components: legalising casinos, online gambling, and online betting on sports like football, cricket, and others. “(Therefore), we are not only opposing the
casinos, but also speaking up for the removal of the law altogether,” he was quoted by
Syllad.com. “In the year 2019-20, the government
released 1200 crores for free. If on one hand you release the revenues and on the other hand you set up casinos for earning revenues, the misutilisation of funds is very evident. The drop in the PCI also indicates unemployment. When we sit with people, many youths and elderly citizens complain that there is no wage employment,” he added. Three casinos still have legal licences to
operate, despite Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s statement during the Autumn Assembly Session that licencing would be stopped, adding that the
GEMINI/Adobe Stock
MDA government should make clear their intentions rather than adopting a vague viewpoint on the casinos, while their deeds favour the legalisation of casinos in the state.
Visakhapatnam: Online betting racket busted, nine arrested
In a major bust by Visakhapatnam police, the local authorities have arrested as many as nine individuals involved in an online betting racket on Wednesday. The mastermind behind the racket was identified as K Kishore (26), hailing from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. According to the police, Kishore had hired
around eight workers and had set up the base in the city. The police also said that more than 800 people were involved in online betting through Kishore for the last few months in which he conducted transactions worth crores. Visakhapatnam Commissioner of Police Ch
Srikanth told ANI, “Kishore paid Rs 10 lakh as a deposit to a bookie, identified as Rahul based in Chhattisgarh, and acquired ‘hosting services to run the online betting racket. As per their
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agreement, Kishore would keep 10 percent of the profits and the remaining would go to Rahul.” “Kishore reports to Rahul. So far, several bank accounts being operated by the accused have been identified. These accounts have been opened at banks in various places such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. It has been ascertained that transactions totaling Rs 377 crore have been done through these bank accounts in the last six months,” the Commissioner added. The local authorities have seized as many as 10 bank accounts having a total deposit of around INR 72 lakhs. FIRs have also been registered against the accused under relevant sections.
The police said that bank employees also
helped the bookies to open accounts in the name of genuine firms. “A bank staffer has admitted that these accounts were created by using the fake address under the names of genuine firms. Later, he handed over the bank credentials to the accused. The police are further investigating the role of the bank staff,” the Commissioner said. “The two accounts were opened in connivance
with a bank employee by tinkering with basic details such as address proof, without the knowledge of the original account holders. Business worth around Rs 4 crore was done through these accounts. On verification, it was found that the owners of the firm had no idea about the existence of these accounts,” the Commissioner concluded.
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