Delhi Police bust Sangam Vihar gambling den; 12 held, ₹1.03 lakh seized
Synopsis
Delhi Police's Anti-Auto Theft Squad raided a Sangam Vihar gambling den on 6 November 2026, arresting 12 men aged 31 to 72 and seizing over ₹1 lakh in cash. The cross-locality profile of the accused and the deployment of a specialised squad underscore how embedded such operations can become in Delhi's dense unauthorised colonies.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police's AATS South District busted a gambling operation in Sangam Vihar on 6 November 2026 .
12 individuals were apprehended; ₹1,03,500 in cash and 458 playing cards were seized.
A case was registered at Neb Sarai Police Station as FIR No.
382/26 under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Delhi Public Gambling Act, 1955 .
Accused hail from across Delhi — Sangam Vihar, Saket, Deoli, Madanpur Khadar, Tughlakabad and Durga Vihar.
The operation was led by Inspector Pawan Kumar under ACP Balram Singh Beniwal .
Delhi Police's Anti-Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of the South District busted an illegal gambling operation in the Sangam Vihar area of New Delhi on 6 November 2026, apprehending 12 individuals and recovering ₹1,03,500 in cash along with 458 playing cards of different colours. A formal case has been registered at Neb Sarai Police Station under FIR No. 382/26, dated 7 November 2026.
How the Raid Unfolded
Acting on a tip-off about illegal gambling at a premises on Asthal Mandir Road in Sangam Vihar, the AATS team conducted a targeted raid at the location. The 12 accused were allegedly found gambling on the spot and were immediately apprehended. The recovered cash and playing cards were subsequently seized as evidence.
The operation was led by Inspector Pawan Kumar, In-charge of AATS South District, under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Balram Singh Beniwal. The team comprised SI Navdeep, ASI Deshraj, Head Constables Sandeep and Narendra, and Constables Krishan, Arvind, and Harish.
Who Was Apprehended
The arrested individuals hail from multiple localities across Delhi. Those identified include Manoj (38), a resident of Tughlakabad village; Rajender alias Rinku (38), Hardesh Kumar (44), Kamlesh Gupta (55), Ramkesh (72), Santosh Kumar Gupta (50), Amit Gupta (31), and Madhav Mangal (36), all residents of Sangam Vihar.
The remaining four accused are Vijay (43) of Madanpur Khadar JJ Colony, Rajkumar (59) of Durga Vihar, Rahul Rathore (31) of Saket, and Jitender Singh (38) of Deoli village. The age range among those arrested — from 31 to 72 years — points to a broad cross-section of participants.
Legal Action Taken
A case was registered at Neb Sarai Police Station under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Delhi Public Gambling Act, 1955. The apprehended persons were bound down as per applicable law. Further investigation into the matter is currently underway, according to police.
Context and Pattern
Sangam Vihar, one of Delhi's most densely populated unauthorised colonies, has been a recurring site of such enforcement drives. Notably, the AATS — primarily mandated to combat vehicle theft — was deployed for this operation, reflecting the South District's integrated approach to community crime suppression. This is consistent with a broader Delhi Police pattern of using specialised squads for tip-off-based raids in high-density residential zones.
Police said the prompt response to the intelligence input was key to the operation's success. The investigation is ongoing and further details are expected as the probe advances.
Point of View
But the deployment of the Anti-Auto Theft Squad for a gambling raid is worth noting — it signals either a resource overlap or a deliberate integration of intelligence-led policing across crime categories in South Delhi. The broad age range of the accused, from 31 to 72, and their geographic spread across multiple Delhi localities suggest this was not a one-off gathering but a regular operation. Sustained enforcement in Delhi's unauthorised colonies requires structural follow-through, not just periodic raids, if the intent is genuine deterrence rather than optics.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when was the Sangam Vihar gambling raid carried out?
The raid was carried out on 6 November 2026 at a premises on Asthal Mandir Road in Sangam Vihar, South Delhi, by the Anti-Auto Theft Squad of Delhi Police's South District. The action followed a specific tip-off about illegal gambling activity at the location.
How many people were arrested and what was seized?
Twelve people were arrested during the raid. Police seized ₹1,03,500 in cash and 458 playing cards of different colours from the premises.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
A case was registered at Neb Sarai Police Station as FIR No. 382/26, dated 7 November 2026, under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Delhi Public Gambling Act, 1955. The accused were bound down as per the law, and further investigation is underway.
Who are the accused in the Sangam Vihar gambling case?
The 12 accused include Manoj (38) of Tughlakabad village; Rajender alias Rinku (38), Hardesh Kumar (44), Kamlesh Gupta (55), Ramkesh (72), Santosh Kumar Gupta (50), Amit Gupta (31), and Madhav Mangal (36) of Sangam Vihar; Vijay (43) of Madanpur Khadar JJ Colony; Rajkumar (59) of Durga Vihar; Rahul Rathore (31) of Saket; and Jitender Singh (38) of Deoli village.
Which police team conducted the Sangam Vihar gambling raid?
The raid was conducted by an AATS team comprising SI Navdeep, ASI Deshraj, Head Constables Sandeep and Narendra, and Constables Krishan, Arvind and Harish. Inspector Pawan Kumar led the operation under the supervision of ACP (Operations) Balram Singh Beniwal.
