Major cricket betting racket busted in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: In a major haul, the Madhapur Zone Special Operations Team (SOT) of Cyberabad police on Wednesday unearthed multiple cricket betting rackets and nabbed 23 persons in that connection.

Officials seized Rs 93 lakh cash, eight laptops and 275 mobile phones apart from tabs, computers, television sets and five cars, all together valued at Rs 2.21 crore

Police officials received credible information about betting being organized at seven places in Madhapur zone. They conducted raids at Miyapur, Bachupally, Gachibowli and Mailardevpally and apprehended the accused.

They have been identified as Chintha Venu, Vaduvu Ajay kumar, Jella Suresh, Kunappareddy Durga pavan Kumar, Thirumani Mani Kanta, Kollati Manikanta, P Srinivas, Durgaprasad Kollati, D Sundara Rama Raju, M Jaya Srinivas, Nagalla Rakesh, Jammu Nagaraju, Turrella Sai, Godavarthi Venkatesh, Atluri Ranjith Kumar, Kota Sai Naveen, Boppa Venkatesh, Ganni Kalyan Kumar, Pathi Pati Ramu, Eadara Ravi, Ganni Ravi Teja, Kamagani Satheesh and Mallikarjun Chary. Police are looking out for seven more persons involved in the racket.

“The racket operates in four layers. The first layer comprises a main bookie, the second has a sub-bookie, third has a bookie and the last layer includes punters. The main bookie is Maha, a resident of Vijayawada, who organizes the online cricket betting. The other accused Suresh, Chintha Venu, Godavarthi Venkatesh took the main line access from Maha. The odds and ratings of gamblers and punters can be seen from time to time in online betting apps like Fancy Life Entertainment Application, Live Line Guru, Cricket Mazza, Lotus, Bet-365 and Bet fair which is provided by agents” said Stephen Raveendra, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad.   

Officials said that most of the transactions are done online and in cash when it is in large amounts.

“The network of bookies has trapped many youth in the city and got them addicted to playing high stakes,” he added.

Meanwhile, officials have identified Bet 365, MPL, Betway, Dream Guru, My 11 Circle, Bet 365, Coral, Bwin, 777 Bet, Dafabet, Winner, Cricket Betting 2020, Just Bet, Betfred, Lotus Cricket Line, as illegal betting apps and asked the public to refrain from using them.

“There is scope for Cyber theft of data of bank accounts and personal data, which may result in unauthorized money transfer and blackmailing using personal photos, data, etc” said a police official.

Information about betting and other related information may be shared with Cyberabad police on their WhatsApp No. 94906-17444.