Mumbai Crime: Five arrested for betting on T20 World Cup match

Representative image. Pic/Istock

An interstate online betting racket having links with gangsters operating from Dubai have been busted by the Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch. The AEC has so far arrested five bookies in the matter for placing betting on T20 World Cup final match played between England and Pakistan last Sunday.

According to the crime branch, a tip-off was received on Sunday while a match was being played between England and Pakistan, that group of people placed online betting sitting in a hotel in Dadar. During the raids, police arrested two accused and seized one diary, cash, and some mobile phones.

"The diary has the details of at least 18 online apps which were used to place bettings and numbers of a few more bookies and contacts details of their counterparts operating from Dubai were also found." An officer of AEC said.

Also Read: Measles outbreak: One more suspected death in Mumbai, toll rises to 8

On November 13, two of the accused identified as Francis Anthony Dias and Imran Khan were arrested during the match. Later on Thursday, three more accused identified as bookies Dharmesh Shivdasani, Dharmesh Vora and Gaurav Shivdasani were arrested by the police.

The police have also got their CDR which suggests coordination with some kingpins of betting operating from Dubai. The police have not ruled out the involvement of the D gang as they have been involved in such betting to run their gang. "Some Hawala transactions also noticed and that needs to be thoroughly investigated. We have learned that they have been placing bets on all kinds of sports from different parts of the country and the money is being siphoned off through Hawala." An officer privy to the investigation said.

The police have recovered some chats which have names and contact numbers of more than 60 bookies. According to the crime branch, apart from the 18 apps, they were found accepting bets on a few mobile applications.

All the accused were produced before the court on Thursday and all are remanded to police custody to till November 21. The accused were represented by advocate Ajay Dubey who told the court that custody is not required as the recoveries have already been made by the police.