BERHAMPUR: After a month-long search, Gosaninuagaon police nabbed two youths for their link with cricket betting racket in the city on Monday. While Vishal Agarwal was apprehended from Bhubaneswar airport, Ajit Barada was held from Gopalpur Chowk. Both were heading to Hyderabad.
Berhampur ASP Prabhat Routray said the accused were part of the betting syndicate which was busted on September 30 and arrested after a tip-off on their whereabouts. “We got to know that Vishal was about to board a flight to Hyderabad from Bhubaneswar. He was nabbed and brought to Berhampur. During interrogation, he revealed details of his associate after which Ajit was picked up from Gopalpur Chowk while driving to Hyderabad,” he said.
In September, a betting racket was busted in which two persons including kingpin R Lalie Achary (50) of Gosaninuagaon and K Prasant Kumar Subudhi (43) of Gandhinagar had been been arrested and cash worth over `33 lakh seized. However, main associates Vishal and Ajit (as disclosed by Lalie) had managed to flee.
Sources said the syndicate had network across the country and was operating through websites and apps without physical involvement.“Police have recovered `1.95 lakh, seven mobile phones, a car, ATM cards and ID cards of the accused. So far, four members of the racket have been arrested. We suspect there are more people involved who will be nabbed soon,” the ASP said.