After dingy lodges and hotel rooms, tables of posh beer bars have caught the fancy of small-time books for carrying out betting activities. The crime branch unit (Zone I) of the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police apprehended two people for their alleged involvement in an online cricket betting racket.
Notably, the duo identified as-Ketul Arvind Shah (35) and Rakesh Sharma- both residents of Bhayandar were caught indulging in the betting activity from the table of a beer bar near the fly-over-over bridge in Mira Road.
In response to a specific tip-off, a team led by PSI-Hitendra Vichare under the instructions of Police Inspector-Aviraj Kurhade swooped down on the bar in the Geeta Nagar area on Thursday night. According to the police the duo were caught red handed while accepting and placing bets on T-20 cricket match between Lucknow SuperGiants and Delhi Capitals in the ongoing 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL)-2022 tournament being played at the D.Y.Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
The accused was found to be using user ID’s and passwords on the platforms of various online betting applications which were found to be installed in their smartphone. The police are scanning the mobile phones to ascertain the name of people who were placing bets on the match.
Meanwhile a case under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Gambling Act and Indian Telegraph Act has been registered against the accused who are said to be small time bookies who were acting on the behest of their masters. No action was taken against the bar owners as there was no evidence of their involvement in encouraging the illegal activities, police said in their First Information Report (FIR). Further investigations were underway.
