Superintendent of Police (SP) Bhog Bahadur Thapa, acting chief of Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu (MPRK), on Wednesday set a one day deadline before he issues arrest warrants against the casino owners. [break]
He told Republica that he would find the real owners of the casinos--as registered with government agencies concerned -- operating in the capital and issue arrest warrants within working hours on Thursday.
Thapa´s statement was made before some media reporters called to his office at Hanumandhoka for a briefing on MPRK´s seemingly rash litigation against four casino managers and one promoter.
This first ever case of litigation against senior casino figures in the country has not, however, been based on proper groundwork as it still skirts the owners themselves, officials acknowledged.
“We have prosecuted them on the basis of statements from their staffers. But who actually own the casinos should become clear once we go through the documents. We will not let anybody slip away,” said SP Thapa.
Those against whom MPRK filed suit on Wednesday under the Gambling Act 1963 are TR Bhatta, promoter of Everest Casino, Bharat Kumar Shakya, general manager of Casino Nepal, Ramkrishna Chakradhar, general manager of Casino Anna, Manoj Subedi, general manager of Tara Casino and Shailendra Kumar Rana, general manager of Casino Royal.
MPRK, however, has mistakenly booked Chakradhar as promoter of Casino Anna.
The Gambling Act contains provisions for the punishment of both gamblers and those operating gambling businesses--a Rs 200 fine for a first instance of gambling, a prison term of one to three months for a second offence and one year´s sentence for a third time.
SP Thapa said that he would demand maximum punishment for casino owners during the legal proceedings, which will be based on a myriad of cases of Nepali nationals being arrested from casinos in the capital over the years.
“I would like to renounce the customary approach of arresting Nepali clients and get to the ´root´ of the problem,” he added.
He also warned subordinates not to take the issue lightly. “I have already asked the unit chiefs concerned to furnish clarifications regarding the unremitting flow of Nepali citizens [into casinos] and the objectionable activities of the casinos,” Thapa said.
Police carried out raids at different casinos in the capital during the Tihar festival and arrested 28 Nepali nationals.
“Arresting gamblers no longer makes sense while the real violators of the law are the casino owners themselves,” Thapa added.
There are eight casinos in the capital and two in the tourist city of Pokhara. Nepal Recreation Centre (NRC), owned by Rakesh Wadha, runs five casinos--Soaltee (Casino Nepal), Anna, Everest and Sangrila. A small share of Everest Casino under NRC belongs to TR Bhatta.
Wadha had sold Casino Royal at Yak & Yeti Hotel to Raj Bahadur Singh, son-in-law of ex-king Gyanendra. Three other casinos--Venus, Tara and Tara--are owned by Kishor Silwal, who bought them from Wadha.
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