Illegal betting trade behind DCP-MLA fight?

Tribune News Service

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, September 24

Even as the recent ugly spat between Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Jalandhar Central Raman Arora and now transferred Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Naresh Dogra is being attributed to a petty fight between two shopkeepers here, insiders have alleged that the real reason behind the confrontation was the proliferating illegal betting trade in the Assembly constituency.

The city police had of late got into the action mode and reportedly registered some cases in the past few days. Details of at least three cases were shared with the media, wherein persons from the constituency are learnt to be involved.

Rajinder Beri, former Congress MLA from the same constituency, has gone a step ahead to allege, “Dogra as DCP had got raids conducted on the premises of two persons indulging in illegal betting in the localities of the Jalandhar Central constituency and booked them just ahead of the fight with Arora. After the raid, the MLA had recommended that the accused be spared, but Dogra did not agree. The MLA felt offended. The fight between shopkeepers later only added fuel to the fire.”

Former BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia, too, has corroborated the allegations, “The business of betting in my constituency has proliferated. The MLA tried to suppress police action against persons indulging in such activities through the Wednesday night episode. It is becoming an addiction and resources of many families in my area are fast draining.”

AAP MLA Raman Arora has rejected the allegations.

Increase in ‘Satta’ counters

• Police sources & political rivals of AAP MLA from Jalandhar Central Raman Arora have alleged there has been an increase in ‘satta’ counters ever since AAP came to power
• A sting video of a stall owner has gone viral wherein he shares that an amount of Rs 85,000 per stall has to be paid as bribery amount to start this trade

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