Chandigarh police bust major cricket-betting racket

The Crime Branch of Chandigarh Police on Sunday said that it had cracked a major cricket-betting racket and arrested four bookies in the city.

Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Superintendent of Police (Crime) of Chandigarh Police, Madhur Verma, said: "The arrested persons were operating from a rented house and they were caught red-handed while laying bets for their clients on the third ODI between India and Australia that was played at Ferozeshah Kotla in New Delhi on Saturday."

"Rate was in the odds of 70 and Australia was their favourite team," he added.

The arrested bookies have been identified as Vijay Kumar, Sunil Malhotra, Shagan Lal and Vicky.

Verma further said the betting amount could shoot up to millions of rupees as few notebooks containing the names of their clients were seized from the spot of the crime.

The police have also confiscated 40 mobile phones, one laptop, two television sets, three recording devices and about hundred SIM cards from the house, which was used as a base by the accused.

"We also found a large number of mobile phones in their house, through which they used to contact their clients and their counterparts in New Delhi and Mumbai," Verma added.

He also informed that the Chandigarh Police would be investigating the links of this group with similar gangs operating in other States.

With the arrests ahead of the fourth ODI game between India and Australians to be played at Mohali, the police claimed to have achieved great success.