Nagpur: Coming to the rescue of an Amravati businessman, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court quashed a charge sheet against him while holding that the playing rummy can't be brought under the definition of gambling.

"Petitioner is one of the members of the recreational club and it's his contention that they were playing rummy. Game of rummy is not gambling," a division bench comprising Prasanna Varale and Murlidhar Giratkar ruled, while citing earlier Supreme Court verdicts.

Gajendra Kedia, a reputed businessman running an ice factory, moved the court for quashing and setting aside the charge sheet filed at Rajapeth Police Station on June 14 last year.

He rented out his premises in December 2015 to the Shivleela Sporting and Social Club at Saturna in Amravati with a view to promote social and recreational activities, including sporting games such as carom, chess, hockey, football, cricket, card games and rummy. It was one of the well-known clubs of the area having about 70 members, including the petitioner, who are over 45 years.

The club sought permission from the Amravati commissioner of police for running indoor entertaining games of like card room, table tennis and rummy on its premises on January 15 last year.

On May 23, 2016, when the members were engaged in playing game of skill rummy with false table counters, at about 5.30pm, police officials raided the club without any permission. They seized the entire possessions of the club including the membership cards, false table counters, tables and chairs.

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HC rules game of rummy is not gambling - Times of India