In a late-night raid on April 25, 2023, the Anti-Extortion Cell of Thane Police uncovered a sophisticated IPL betting syndicate operating within a seemingly unassuming lodge located in Kongaon, Bhiwandi. The raid resulted in the seizure of cash and electronic devices valued at Rs 1.97 lakh, alongside the apprehension of three bookmakers hailing from Chhattisgarh. These individuals stand accused of orchestrating a high-stakes betting operation and were apprehended red-handed while placing wagers on the closely contested IPL match between RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The police received a tip-off about the illegal betting activity and laid a trap at Hotel K.N. Park in Kongaon.The accused have been identified as Shanu Lalit Beriwal, Rajat Babulal Sharma, and Vijay Sitaram Devgan, all residents of Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh.
The accused had conspired together and installed a software called 'Subhlabh' on a laptop, where they recorded betting information received from individuals gambling on cricket matches. They were live-streaming the T20 match between RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad on the 'Taj777Sport' application on a Realme Tab, accepting bets worth ₹11,86,811 from other gamblers. Additionally, one of the accused, Janu from Korba, Chhattisgarh, was operating a betting line (number 19) on the 'Super Assistant' application installed on a Redmi 9 mobile phone, where bets amounting to ₹7,03,000 were placed.
The accused had obtained SIM cards using forged documents to evade government and mobile company scrutiny, facilitating their illegal gambling operations. During the raid, the police seized 12 mobile phones, one tablet, and one laptop, collectively worth ₹1,97,400, from their possession.
Consequently, a case has been registered against the three apprehended accused and Janu from Korba, Chhattisgarh, under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 34 of the Indian Penal Code, and sections 4 and 5 of the Maharashtra Gambling Prevention Act at the Konagaon Police Station on April 26, 2024. All three accused have been arrested.