HYDERABAD: A Madhapur special operations team busted online cricket betting being organised at seven different places in Madhapur zone and arrested 23 bookies and organisers. Seven others are absconding.Police received credible information about betting on IPL matches in Miyapur, Bachupally, Gachibowli and Mailardevpally.
Police say cricket betting happens in four layers. The first layer comprises of the main bookie, second layer has a sub-bookie, third, a bookie, and the fourth layer includes punters. Each layer is specific in terms of stakes, commission to the bookie and the price of the line he can lease out to.
Ten of those arrested were conducting betting in Gachibowli limits, three in Miyapur limits and 10 were held in Bachupally limits.Among the seven absconding, three are the main organisers and one is a sub-organiser. Fancy Life Entertainment Application, Live Line Guru, Cricket Mazza, Lotus, Bet-365, Bet fair and etc are few of the apps that the bets were being held on.
The main bookie Maha is a resident of Vijayawada and has been organizing online cricket betting both in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He is also on the run. A total of Rs 96 lakh, 14 betting boards, eight laptops, 247 mobile phones, four tabs, four TVs, two routers, one printer and five four-wheelers have been seized. The total is estimated to be around Rs 2.22 crore.