Mumbai: In a crackdown against bookies operating from Mumbai, the crime branch unit five has arrested five persons for allegedly running cricket betting racket and accepting bets on Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. The accused were operating under the garb of a hookah parlour in Ghatkopar, said police.
According to the officials, they received an information that a betting racket was operated from Kick Cafe hookah parlour in Ghatkopar. Acting on the tip-off, a raid was conducted at the parlour on Friday evening. During the raid, five persons were found accepting bets on IPL match between Kings 11 Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. Five persons, identified as Tejas Manik, Jigar Parikh, Vipul Panchal, Ram Ganatra and Vikram Kamdar have been arrested, said police.
The accused were accepting bets over phone and placed them on an online portal. Thirteen mobile phones, laptop, a television set and Rs 1.34 lakh in cash were also seized. A case under IPC sections of cheating and forgery along with Information Technology act and Gambling act was registered at Tilak Nagar police station. The accused were produced before the court which sent them to police custody, said the official.
