Kankavli: A dramatic scene unfolded in Sindhudurg's Kankavli town on Thursday evening when Maharashtra’s Cabinet Minister of Fisheries & Ports development and the Guardian Minister for Sindhudurg, Nitesh Rane, personally led a raid on an illegal matka gambling den operating behind the town’s main marketplace.
According to reports, Rane arrived at the location around 4 pm with his aides and stormed into the premises, where matka bookings were allegedly being conducted by Mahadev Ramakant Ghevari and his associates. A video of the incident has gone viral on the internet.
Laptops, Furniture & ₹2.78 Cash Seized
Taken by surprise, Ghevari and his staff were left speechless as the minister confronted them. Soon after, Rane summoned Kankavli Police Inspector Atul Jadhav to the spot and demanded strict legal action. Police later seized registers, laptops, booking slips, furniture and a total of Rs 2,78,725 in cash from the site.
Twelve individuals, including Ghevari, were booked under gambling charges. Those arrested include Mayur Pandav (30), Sandeep Padwal (46), Chandrakant Gavankar (57), Prashant Ghadigaonkar (43), Mahesh Bane (27), Anil Pashthe (48), Satish Gawade (40), Santosh Rathod (43), Tushar Jadhav (42), and Mahesh Devne (35), among others, according to a report by Marathi news portal, Sarkarnama.
Rane's Warning To Sindhudurg SP
During the raid, Rane directly phoned Superintendent of Police Mohan Dahikar, reiterating that illegal gambling and similar activities would not be tolerated in Sindhudurg. He also issued a stern warning, saying that if local police were found to be providing protection to such rackets, he would escalate the matter to the Home Ministry. Rane stated that he had instructed police to shut down illegal businesses when he assumed charge as Guardian Minister, yet no action had been taken against Ghevari’s operations until now.
Interestingly, when questioned about the cash on site, Ghevari initially claimed only Rs 1 lakh was present. However, after Rane ordered a thorough search, police discovered nearly three times that amount. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ghanshyam Aadhav later visited the spot and directed an in-depth investigation. Police confirmed that once panchanama proceedings were complete, all accused would face formal charges.
