Police in Tashichholing (Sipsu) drungkhag, Samtse, are waiting for one of the five suspects who are allegedly involved in a gambling case to file a case to court.

The case first surfaced when the former Tendruk gup Pema Wangchuk filed an alleged gambling case against Tendruk gup Nima Dukpa, who is also the Samtse dzongkhag tshogdu thrizin.

The complainant filed a written complaint on March 2, with a video clip as evidence, alleging that gup Nima Dukpa and four others gambled in a public place on January 1 during a picnic.

The officer commanding (OC) of Tashichholing said it is an open case, as the complainant submitted all the evidence. “Once the suspect, who went for pilgrimage returns, we will file the case to court.”

Section 393 of the Penal Code of Bhutan (PCB), 2004, states, “A defendant shall be guilty of the offence of gambling, if the defendant stakes or wagers something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the defendant’s control or influence upon an agreement or understanding that the defendant will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.”

The offence, according to section 394 of the PCB is graded a petty misdemeanour.

Police would prosecute the case in court since it is graded a petty misdemeanour and not forward it to the Office of the Attorney General.

Meanwhile, Tendruk gup Nima Dukpa said he should be penalised as per law if the alleged gambling is a crime.

He said the former gup has taken a personal difference with him to a different level. “I was there with the group that was entertaining themselves.”

He also said the alleged gambling occurred on December 31, 2017, and not on January 1, 2018, as reported to police.

Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing