Three held by Rachakonda police in IPL cricket betting racket

HYDERABAD: The Special Operations Team (SOT), LB Nagar Zone team along with Chaitanyapuri Police busted an IPL-2023 cricket betting racket and arrested arrest three persons including two businessmen and a software engineer.

The arrested persons have been identified as E Jagadeesh, 43, a businessman and resident of Bandlaguda, J Ashok Reddy, 47, a businessman and resident of Vanasthalipuram and V Charan, 38, a software engineer and resident of Kukatpally.

The police seized cash of Rs.20 lakh and seven mobile phones from the possession of the arrested persons. An amount of Rs.1.42 crore of the accused was also frozen.

Jagadeesh and Reddy were working as sub bookies while Charan as a collection agent. The main bookie V Monga, and two bookies - P Srinivas Rao and Suresh Myalabathula were absconding.

According to police, Jagadeesh is native of Miryalaguda of Nalgonda district and presently residing at Bandlaguda in Nagole was a sub-bookie. He got addicted to betting and earning easy money by organizing cricket bettings in Hyderabad.

Ashok Reddy, who is a real estate agent, addicted to betting. As per his version during these 10 to 12 years, he had lost about Rs.100 crore in various bettings.

Charan who is a software employee, was working as collection agent to Suresh alias Shiva.

Reddy introduced other sub-bookies Shiva and Srinivas Rao to Jagadeesh. Further, he is maintaining direct contact with main bookie Monga of Haryana.

The trio had been running the racket through ‘national exchange9’ from which they created user IDs and supply the same along with password to their clients.

The accused persons resorted to collecting cricket bettings in and around Hyderabad from the punters to make easy and quick money. During IPL -2023 season so far, approximately Rs.3 crore had been exchanged directly and through bank from these accused.

On April 14, 2023, the accused persons were collecting huge betting amounts from punters during IPL cricket match between Sun Risers Hyderabad Vs Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Garden, Kolkata.

The SOT, LB Nagar Zone Team along with Chaitanyapuri Police apprehended the accused persons at Basanthi Botique on Road No.9, Vasavi Colony, while the accused Jagadeesh, Reddy and Charan accepting cricket betting over a cell phone by watching the match.