HYDERABAD: A Task Force of Hyderabad Police busted an interstate cricket betting racket which was involved in gambling while a test match between South Africa and Bangladesh was in progress. Based on a tip off, the police raided three betting centres simultaneously in which 13 persons were arrested. A sum of Rs 26 lakh was seized along with betting communication equipment from their possession.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahendar Reddy said Wednesday that the racket had spread its tentacles over Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, and was organised by one Satya Prakash Jindal alias Nikku(42). He coordinated a group of sub-bookies to whom he shared the betting line over cell phone, the commissioner said. Three cases have been registered against the racket in Sultanbazar, Shahinayatgunaj and Ramgopalpet Police Stations.
According to the commissioner, Jindal used to accept the betting money over cell phones from sub-bookies in an organised manner. He also provided line phone connections to share updated betting rates with other bookies in Hyderabad and states like Rajasthan on commission basis.
“He used to receive updated betting rates from one Ashu from Rajastan through line phones, for which he procured 4 Line Boxes having 35 mobile phones, laptops and other equipment,” said Reddy.
The arrested include three sub-bookies Govind Rathi(32), G Prashanth Kumar(35) and M Dilip Kumar(48. Two others Vijay Kumar Goel(31) and Ramesh Kumar Goel(31), worked with Govind Rathi. The other persons are all employees with main accused Satyaprakash Jindal and are natives of Haryana Rajastan and Punjab. They include Lavneesh Bansal(29), Govil Makkar(23), Sahil Munjal(23), Princh(26), Sunil Kumar Kewlni(28), Rahul Kandoi(26) and Yashwanth Singh(22).
Jindal used to accept bet amount upto Rs 10 lakh while bigger amounts were being directed to his boss Ashu. The racket has been active for the last 6 months.The police don’t have any previous records against them.