Berhampur: Acting on a tip-off, police busted an online IPL betting racket in Silk City and arrested eight persons, including a stockist, for the offence at Lanjipalli area under Baidyanathpur police limits, Monday
Police have also seized cash worth Rs 8.63 lakh and 11 mobile phones from the accused persons. The accused were identified as Jagannath Choudhury, 33, of Lanjipalli; Sabyasachi Padhi, 35, of Ambika Nagar; Kirti Ranjan Satapathy, 28; Niladri Padhi, 32, of Bijipur; Santosh Kumar Nayak of Haladiapadar, 41; Ajit Kumar Sahu, 34; Ram Prasad Padhi, 34; and Binod Panda, 37, of Baidya Sahi in Gosaninuagaon. A case was registered in this connection and the accused were produced in court, Monday
This was stated here by Berhampur SP Pinak Mishra at a press meet held at the Baidyanathpur police station, Monday. SDPO Bishnu Prasad Pati said that kingpin of the racket and a stockist named Jagannath Choudhury was taken on remand to elicit more information from him about the operation of the betting racket.
Police said that the accused were found placing online bets on two websites, which were opened by Choudhury. Preliminary inquiries suggested that Choudhury used to give user id and password and operated the racket with the help of some bookies. It is suspected that the accused might have links outside the state and had started the online betting business since the start of IPL matches this season.
Police said that they are scanning the bank accounts of the accused and trying to verify the involvement of others in the racket, added the official.
In the past, police had arrested 14 persons in connection with IPL betting racket and had frozen Rs 5 crore in the bank accounts of the accused. Further investigations are underway.
