Jammu and Kashmir Police busts cricket bookie racket, 3 arrested

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday busted a cricket bookie racket and arrested the associate of its kingpin and two others from the Sailan Talab area of Udhampur district.

While speaking to MyNation, Rayees Mohammad Bhat, SSP Udhampur said, "Based on reliable information, a team from Police Station Udhampur led by SHO PS Udhampur Inspector Vijay Choudhary, under the supervision of deputy superintendent of police at the Udhampur Headquarters Kulbir Handa conducted a raid at a rented shop of a person namely Raju at Salain Talib, Udhampur."

The police arrested a bookie who, along with two others, had been accepting bets for cricket matches. While the suspects were identified as Varinder Kumar and an associate of the racket’s kingpin, Raju, who used to collect money for IPL and other cricket matches as well, only the first could be arrested.

Two others arrested are Rohit Kumar and Rajinder Kumar. Raju, the kingpin of the racket, is absconding. The police have launched a hunt has to arrest him. So far, more than Rs 30,000 worth of money put on bets has been recovered from the arrested persons. 

Primary investigation has revealed that Varinder Kumar's accomplice Raju and other bookies used to accept the bet money on cricket matches including IPL and pass on the information to top-level bookies in Mumbai and other States. The police are on the lookout for Raju and others.

“Raju’s network was spread across various States from where he used to accept bets from sub-agents on cricket matches,” a police source said. The mobile phones seized had contact numbers of other bookies and recordings related to bets. Books with records of bets were seized from the spot, too.

A case under FIR no. 346/18 under Section 3/4/13 Gambling Act has been registered at Police Station Udhampur.

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