Uttarakhand police raid Rishikesh hotel, 40 held in illegal casino bust

In a late‑night operation following a specific tip‑off , the Uttarakhand Police raided an illegal casino being run inside the Navrang Hotel near IDPL City Gate in Rishikesh, arresting 40 people, officials said on Saturday. The operation, led by Rishikesh Circle Officer Neeraj Semwal, took place on Friday night and uncovered a well‑concealed gambling den where men and women were playing games for cash, they added.

Police seized ₹1.35 lakh in cash , numerous casino chips , multiple decks of playing cards and a substantial quantity of liquor from the premises during the raid, Semwal said. The hotel has since been sealed and the accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Gambling Act and the Excise Act .

Among those taken into custody were 30 men and 10 women who were found inside the casino at the time of the raid. Authorities are examining whether additional staff or organisers were involved in running the illegal operation and are probing financial transactions linked to the gambling activities, Semwal added.

The action is part of broader efforts by law enforcement in Uttarakhand to crack down on illicit gambling dens, which in past years have seen similar raids at resorts and properties in the Rishikesh area that exposed the scale of unlawful casino operations and gambling networks in the region.