Six bookies arrested, 46 mobile phones, ₹20 lakh recovered

JALANDHAR: The police busted an online betting racket on Thursday. Six bookies have been arrested.

The police seized 46 mobiles, ₹20 lakh, two laptops, two voice recorders, two light extension boards, one modem, one laptop charger.

Apart from the above two recording machines, one mobile signal booster, three mikes, two mike wires, one dish box, one LCD, eight mobile phone chargers, one i-20 car and five diaries containing the betting record were recovered.

The accused have been identified as Kuldeep Singh ,44, alias Raju Pirmal, Shiva Arora ,22, of Rastan Mohalla, Rahul ,26, of Bhikhi in Mansa and Prince Kumar ,28, of Gandhi Camp, Sunil Kumar ,30, of Faggu Mohalla and Ricky Sachdeva (25) of Urban Estate Phase-II. Addressing a press conference, additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-II) D Sudarvizhi said that acting on a tip-off the police raided a house in Safron Enclave.

The ADCP said they had information about operations of an online betting racket involving Tamil Nadu Premier League (TPL) cricket.

She said that accused Kuldeep Singh confessed his involvement in the betting for more than two years. On Kuldeep’s instance, a police team raided his house in Rasta Mohalla and recovered ₹20 lakh.

Sudarvizhi said, “The racket was operational in bus stand and nearby areas, duping innocent people by involving them in betting.” She said that the prime target of the gang were the youngsters who were attracted towards them to make easy money.

ADCP said, further investigation will ascertain the links of the racket with other bookies. She said that the bookies had taken a house on rent near Phagwara for betting. She said the accused used to bet on scores during live matches, session wise. She said that if the score was made as per bet of a person then he was paid at prevailing rates else the money was confiscated. She said that the accused used to bet on teams before the starting of matches.

2 LAPTOPS, 2 VOICE RECORDERS, 2 LIGHT EXTENSION BOARDS, 1 MODEM, 1 LAPTOP CHARGER WERE SEIZED