Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Jul 15: In connection with the reopening of a skill games centre that had been raided by officials under the leadership of city mayor Kavita Sanil, a case stands registered against its owner in Pandeshwar police station. The police have arrested four persons relating to this incident.
Raids had been conducted by the mayor accompanied by chairperson of health standing committee, Nagaveni, as well as health department officials of the corporation on July 6 and 11. During the raids, people playing skill games had escaped.
Kavita Sanil, reacting to the manner in which the lock placed to the centre by officials led by her had been broken open the very next day and the centre began operations, insisted that she will not allow skill games to flourish in the city as young people including college students are falling prey to them. "Several families are being driven to streets and people who are frustrated at incessant losses become addicted to drugs and other vices. We have to convince the high court about the ground reality about skill games. None of the high court orders have said that business entities do not need trade licences. Therefore, I will fight till these centres are closed down," she stated.
She added that she had personally complained about skill games to the city police commissioner and that the city corporation officials have filed complaint in Pandeshwar police station. This case has been filed under different sections of law that are non-bailable.
Hariraj Shetty, legal advisor to skill games club says that it has been three months since renovation of the licence was applied for and the city corporation had not done the needful. He said that the officer who collected Rs 10,000 has fallen silent now. The city corporation should have served notices if they were not ready to renew the licence, and raiding the centre unexpectedly and locking it is a crime, he said, adding that case in high court will be filed against city corporation council and police.
City corporation commissioner,Muhammed Nazeer, noted that the high court has permitted only three games to be played in registered recreation clubs that are meant for entertainment, and not as a business. He said that for electronic skill games, obtention of licence is compulsory. He insisted that the court has permitted operations of recreation clubs, and not skill games clubs, duly adding that the city corporation had not renewed licences of several skill game centres because of complaints against them.