During December 2024, as many as 11 persons were arrested for allegedly duping a number of people by running online cricket betting in Visakhapatnam
| Photo Credit: File photo
The city police have been taking steps to prevent online betting, as the five-month cricket season has already begun. The England tour of India started on January 22 and it will be followed by ICC Champions Trophy in February and the Indian Premier League (IPL) during the end of March till May.
For the first time, the city task force (CTF) will involve the cybercrime wing in the investigation of cricket betting cases. Last week, the CTF and the cybercrime police busted a cricket betting racket at the Doctors’ Colony in which 10 persons were arrested, so far, and the number may increase. Transactions worth around ₹176 crore made in 45 bank accounts, were identified by the police. The police are focussing on bookies involved in it. They suspect the involvement of big fish in the racket.
As per a senior police personnel from the city, cricket betting was not new to Visakhapatnam. Every year, cases of betting are reported at some places, especially on the outskirts of the city.
“The common modus operandi in the cricket betting cases reported so far in the city is the bookies rent an apartment in a posh area, as their hub, to operate the crime. They have gradually using technology to communicate, and their operations have gone online. Separate softwares are being used and the punters are given IDs,” he said.
The police official also said that there were also some bookies operating from the rural areas. People who set up base here are mostly middlemen or those who were employed, while the kingpins operate from big cities. The police said that in many cases, when a victim comes out, the betting gang can be busted.
“Madhurawada, MVP Colony, Kurmannapalem, Gajuwaka, Beach Road, Rushikonda, Bheemunipatnam and many areas are in focus when it comes to cricket betting,” he said.
During December 2024, as many as 11 persons were arrested for allegedly duping a number of people by running online cricket betting in Visakhapatnam. The police found transactions worth ₹367 crore in over 60 bank accounts.
Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi said that they would be acting very tough against those involved in cricket betting, as it financially cripples the lives of many. He said that they were involving cybercrime personnel in the cases, as they were equipped with the latest technology. “In the cricket betting cases, money is being transferred to various bank accounts. We have been tracking each and every bank account, arresting the accused and gathering some more information from them,” he said.
Published – January 23, 2025 07:05 pm IST
