HYDERABAD: Cyberabad police raided a location in Bachupally area during an ongoing IPL T20 match on Monday night and uncovered a sophisticated betting racket. The bookies were using a console to provide live updates on the current betting rates, to which 32 mobile phones were connected in parallel.
The police arrested 10 persons and seized Rs 66.28 lakh in cash, along with three line boards, eight laptops, 19 smartphones, three TV sets, and other electronic appliances from the possession of the accused.The bookies were accepting bets from punters who were investing large amounts of money.
During a press conference, Cyberabad Police Commissioner Stephen Raveendra revealed the details of the racket. He said that the police have intensified surveillance due to the possibility of cricket betting. Acting on a tip-off, the police conducted the raid during the RCB vs Lucknow Super Giants IPL T20 match, the police commissioner said.
Raveendra said that the accused were organising the betting racket from a house in Sai Anurag Colony under Bachupally police station limits. The police have registered a case under Sections 3 and 4 of the Telangana State Gaming Act, and further investigation is ongoing. The kingpin of the betting racket is at large, he said.During the investigation, police found that the accused had Rs 5.8 lakhs in their bank accounts, which has been identified as betting money.