IPL betting case: Kingpin among several held by UP STF
Lucknow, Apr 10 (UNI) In continuing crackdown against illegal online betting in Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, a Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police arrested several bookies from various districts, STF sources said on Wednesday.
Sources said that IPL betting kingpin Jitendra alias Jeetu, Ashish, Sumit, Mohit and Himanshu were arrested after a raid from Kanpur. The STF also seized 2.75 lakh rupees in cash from Kanpur.
On the other hand, Ashok Singh, Sunil Pal and Vicky Khan were arrested from Varanasi.
A total of 27.75 rupees in cash and mobile phones were also recovered from in Varanasi.
Five laptops, three smart television sets, router, WiFi, adapter, connector, 30 mobile phones, 375 foreign currency Dirham, etc were also recovered during the raids at the two places.
Two online betting boxes were also recovered from Kanpur. Ten bookies used to place online bets through each betting box having a mike and speaker facility. Apart from this, the betting boxes are also facilitated to record conversations. In case of an argument, the issue is settled by playing the recording.
An online application had also been downloaded on the laptop through which chief bookie Jeetu used to ascertain the price, after which an announcement was made with the help of the mike placed in the betting box and information was given to a small bookie via online phone.
An absconding bookie Ajay Singh’s ‘Fortuner’ car, apart from Jeetu’s Mercedes have also been impounded.
STF sources also said that around 20 bookies placed online bets through Jeetu.
The prime accused Jeetu also has links to bookies in Raipur, Ajmer, Jaipur, Mumbai, Delhi and Dubai, who also used to change spots and operate the business of betting in Kanpur, Lucknow, Fatehpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, etc.
Sources further said that there is no permanent source of income of any of the accused. The exchange of the betting money was done through the system of 'hawala.'
The kingpin of the gang Jeetu was involved in online trading for several years in Dubai.
Jeetu also reportedly bought houses worth crores of rupees in Mumbai, Kanpur, Lucknow and Fatehpur.
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