Hyderabad High Court orders CCTVs in recreational clubs

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has directed 11 recreation clubs located in the city and one in Jagtial, Karimnagar district, to install video cameras or closed circuit cameras to record recreational activities and link them with local police stations.

Justice A.V. Sesha Sai was disposing of a batch of petitions moved by a group of clubs challenging the interference of the police and banning card games on their premises. They contended that rummy with 13 cards was a game of skill and does not fall under the definition of gambling.

Mr Venugopal, counsel for the Telangana state home department, told the court that it was the duty of the police to enforce the provisions of the AP Gaming Act, 1974. Under Sections 5 and 9 of the Act, the police is obliged to conduct raids whenever it receives reliable information that gambling is taking place on the premises.

While concluding that the rummy with 13 cards was not a game of chance and was preponderantly a game of skill, the judge ordered the police not to interfere with the game, whatever be the stakes.

He then ordered the managements of the clubs to install CCTV cameras and link them to police stations for observation.