A crackdown on a massive gambling racket in Thailand led to the arrest of 80 Indian gamblers, including Chikoti Praveen, a Madhav Reddy (A1 in an ED case in Hyderabad) and Medak DCCB Bank Chairman Chitti Devender Reddy from Telangana.
According to reports, Praveen had allegedly set up the gambling den in Pattaya along with Thai women. People from Hyderabad and other parts of India were allegedly brought in for gambling.
The group was scheduled to leave for India on Monday morning, but the police raided the hotel late at night and caught them.
The Thai police said that 80 Indians were arrested in the raid at the Asia Pattaya Hotel on Soi Phra Tamnak 4 in Tambon Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district.
The police were acting on information received from detectives that several Indians had booked rooms in the hotel from April 27 to May 1, and were using a conference room called Sampao for gambling.
The gamblers were reportedly caught with a total of Rs 100 crore in their possession.
Gambling is considered a serious crime in Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country.