In a major crackdown on illegal gambling, a team from the Operation Cell arrested five men for running an IPL betting racket from a rented house in Sector 33. The accused have been identified as:
Hardeep Singh alias Jolly
Deepak alias Deepu Pepsi
Vishu
Santosh
Bhuvan
During the raid, police seized 43 mobile phones, six laptops, two tablets, an LED screen, and two Wi-Fi routers. A case has been registered at the Sector 34 police station under various sections of the Punjab Gambling Act.
According to police, the gang had established a network of bookies to facilitate betting during IPL matches. They gained early access to match telecasts and offered real-time betting options on outcomes such as:
Match winners
Top batsman or bowler
First wicket method (catch, bowled, stumped)
Runs in a specific over
Total match or innings runs
Individual player performance
Ball-by-ball predictions
The betting was conducted offline, in cash, via local bookies. Police also suspect international links, particularly to Dubai, where sports betting is legal. Some gang members are believed to be operating remotely from Dubai, and financial trails are currently under investigation.
Authorities are expanding the probe to trace the money flow and identify all local and overseas operators involved in this illegal betting syndicate.
