In a major crackdown on illegal IPL cricket betting, the Berhampur Police arrested five individuals on Wednesday for their involvement in online betting activities. The accused have been identified as Brundaban Panigrahy (42), a resident of Laxmi Nursingh Sahi; Ramakant Samantara (42) of Sasthri Nagar; P. Santosh Kumar (40) of Desibehera Sahi; Muralidhar Biswal (40) of New Khajuria; and Sridhar Sahu (26) of Badadand Sahi, Bada Bazar.
During the operation, the police seized six mobile phones, three two-wheelers, money transaction details, and Rs 70,000 in cash. SP Saravana Vivek M, of Berhampur, confirmed that the police had requested banks to freeze the accounts of the arrested individuals as part of the investigation.
The arrests followed intelligence inputs gathered by the police. Teams from the Baidyanathpur and Town Police Stations monitored individuals suspected of engaging in IPL betting using mobile phones and laptops through online websites. When the police checked the mobile phones of the suspects, they found evidence of money transfers and chat messages regarding betting on various teams in recent matches, including the latest IPL game.
The police are continuing their investigation into the illegal betting network and are working to trace any further involvement of other individuals in the operation. This arrest highlights the ongoing efforts of the Berhampur Police to combat illegal gambling and maintain order in the region.
