Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths arrested 12 people on Thursday in connection with a gambling activity at a star hotel in Halasuru.

Among the arrested are Harish, the kingpin of the gambling group, and 11 gamblers. The sleuths seized Rs 11 lakh in cash.

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The CCB team received information about ‘andar-bahar’ gambling organised in the hotel’s suites. The police arrived at the spot and found that Harish had booked the rooms in his name as well as his friends’ names through a portal. The rooms were accessible only through an access card. Harish had booked suites for gambling to ensure that the police do not enter the rooms easily.

He would contact the gamblers over the phone and, upon their arrival, escort them to the suites. A case has been registered at the at the Halasuru police station.