PANAJI
Ten people were arrested in two late-night raids as Crime Branch claimed it uncovered an illegal cricket betting operation related to ongoing IPL matches, seizing cash and electronic equipment worth about Rs 28 lakh.
In simultaneous searches at two villas in Ribandar and Old Goa past midnight on April 16, Superintendent of Police (Crime) Rahul Gupta said the accused were allegedly operating betting activities through online platforms and managing financial transactions for wagers placed during cricket matches.
In the first raid, eight men from Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh were taken into custody. SP Gupta said the raiding team seized 48 mobile phones, four laptops, 28 SIM cards, 18 debit cards, bank documents and Rs 2 lakh cash. The total value of items seized in this operation was estimated at Rs 8 lakh.
Based on further leads, a second team raided another villa in Old Goa, where two more men, both from Madhya Pradesh, were arrested. Officers recovered 47 mobile phones, four laptops, a tablet device, 49 SIM cards, a television set and bank passbooks, with the total seizure in the second operation estimated at Rs 20 lakh.
The CB said the accused were using platforms “Reddi888” and “Fairplay” to facilitate betting, handling both pay-ins and payouts through multiple bank accounts and SIM cards.
Cases have been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Public Gambling Act. All the accused are remanded to police custody.
