Madras HC rejects online gaming firm’s plea to CB-CID summons

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court rejected the petition of a Mumbai-based private online gaming firm's petition to quash two summons issued by the Tamil Nadu CB-CID seeking reports in connection with the two different suicide cases, including a banker and his family and another person.

Justice G Chandrasekharan dismissed the petitions filed by the company after the police submitted that the summons was issued to release the online rummy accounts of one Manikandan, a private bank employee, and Raghuvaran of Anna Nagar.

It is noted that while Manikandan killed himself along with his wife after killing his two children on January 2, Raghuvaran killed himself in February.

The CB-CID which is investigating the suicides has summoned the private gaming company named Games 24X7. The probe agency asked the company to furnish the complete details of the rummy accounts of Manikandan and Raghuvaran. However, the company refused to give those details and approached the HC.

According to the company, it was not responsible for the death of the victims. The company also firmly submitted that the deceased persons had lost in the game on their own and the firm has no role in it.

"We are not compelling to play the rummy by betting money. Since the state failed in passing an act to ban online gaming practices, the police are harassing us in the name of investigation," the company added.

However, the judge rejected the petition and directed the firm to give the details to CB-CID.