New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough, Delhi Police have uncovered an online cricket betting racket and arrested two people, officials said on Sunday.

An official statement said that the operation was carried out by the police force’s Special Staff (Shahdara District). Upon receiving credible intelligence, a raiding team was constituted under the leadership of Inspector Ashish Kumar, I/C Special Staff, under the overall supervision of Mohinder Singh, ACP/Ops. The team conducted a raid at the identified premises.

According to investigators, two persons were found actively facilitating online betting during an ICC T-20 cricket match between Bangladesh and Australia during the raid. One accused was maintaining betting transactions and accounts on a laptop using a betting calculator application, while the other was live-streaming the match through a mobile application and accepting bets from punters via mobile phones.

The accused have been identified as 48-year-old Akshay and 32-year-old Sunil Dutt, both residents of the national capital’s GTB Enclave.

During interrogation, the accused Akshay disclosed that he was maintaining betting records and calculations through the laptop, while the second accused admitted to using the ‘Cricket Guru’ application for live streaming and facilitating betting activities.

All electronic devices used in the gambling operation were seized as evidence.

Consequently, a First Information Report (FIR) No. 405/26 dated June 19 under Sections 3/4/5 of the Delhi Public Gambling Act, 1955 has been registered at Seemapuri Police Station.

Police said the seized items include one laptop, three mobile phones, one laptop charger, two mobile phone chargers and one diary.

Further investigation is underway to identify other persons connected with the illegal betting network and to trace the financial transactions involved in the racket.

Last month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted late-night search operations across Assam and New Delhi in connection with a large-scale illegal IPL cricket betting racket and the alleged laundering of proceeds generated through the network.

According to the ED, searches were carried out under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on the night of May 26 and continued overnight at multiple locations in Guwahati and Tinsukia in Assam, besides New Delhi.

–IANS

cg/uk