Delhi: 2 IPL gambling rackets busted as cops tighten noose

New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) With just a few high-voltage Indian Premier League (IPL) matches left now, the Delhi Police has started tightening the noose around the gamblers who plan to fully utilise the given scenario of the matches to earn quick money.

In two back-to-back operations, the police were successful in unearthing two IPL gambling rackets, and arrested a total of 9 persons in this connection.

In the first operation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (outer district) Sameer Sharma said a tip-off was received on May 15 that Gambling activities on IPL-Cricket Matches are going on at Chander Vihar, Phase-III, Nihal Vihar and if timely raid be conducted they can be arrested red-handed.

Subsequently, a police team was constituted which investigated and found that gambling was being done in one building in the aforesaid area.

Thereafter, the team raided the said premises in which six people were found gambling on IPL matches using laptops and other electronic devices.

"All of them were apprehended," DCP Sharma said.

The accused were identified as Rahul Garg (30), Kunal Garg (30), Sanjeev Kumar (50), Ashok Sharma (51), Dharmatma Sharma (46) and Kanhaiya (21).

From the spot, the police seized two laptops, three internet routers, two LED TVs, voice recorders, call merger microphones, Rs 74,740 cash, 10 mobile phones, two notebooks having record of gambling and one suitcase gambling device in which five mobile phones were attached to be used for gambling on IPL matches.

The police then registered an FIR under section 3, 4, 9 and 55 of the Gambling Act at Nihal Vihar police station and arrested all the accused persons.

Further probe is on.

In the second operation, DCP (Shahdara) R. Sathiya Sundaram said an information was received by Special Staff, Shahdara regarding online gambling for IPL matches wherein it was revealed that a person namely Nitin Ghai is operating an 'IPL Book' in the Krishna Nagar area of Delhi.

Eventually, three persons -- Nitin, Rohit and Kuldeep -- who were found involved in an IPL Satta and found gambling on IPL matches with the help of their mobile phones and laptop, were apprehended.

After sustained questioning, accused Nitin Ghai disclosed that he is the owner/organiser of the IPL book and Rohit and Kuldeep are his employees.

Rohit and Kuldeep worked for him on daily wages of Rs 500 per day plus their daily expenses.

They were also then booked under relevant sections of the Gambling Act.