A special operations team of Telangana police today raided a farmhouse in Medipally on the outskirts of Hyderabad and arrested a deputy mayor and six corporators of Pirzadiguda municipality, reported Telugu news channel NTV. The arrested also include more than ten BRS party leaders and builders according to NTV. BRS is the ruling party in the Telangana state.

Telangana prohibits all gaming for stakes and is the first state to enact a law in 2017 specifically targeting internet games.

In a similar raid in 2021, a huge contingent of the Hyderabad Task Force and the Begumpet police raided a Diwali after-party and arrested a businessman, Aravind Agarwal, 55, and booked him for organising a gambling party for several VIPs.

Earlier, in a high-profile catch, the Cyberabad police arrested Tollywood actor Naga Shaurya’s father Shivalinga Prasad. The key accused Gutta Suman Kumar was booked under the stringent The Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1986.

However, this is the first time in recent times, the police have targeted ruling party leaders. Reports indicate that the ruling party leaders pressurized the police to let them off but as news went viral, the police had to book a case and arrest those caught in the raid.

The police seized huge cash, playing cards, mobile phones and other articles from the spot.