The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Police arrest three for betting on cricket

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 11, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Police arrest three for betting on cricket

Staff Reporter

Transaction of Rs. 35 lakhs during current India-Sri Lanka series

BOOKED: Sampathraj, who was arrested in a cricket betting case in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The Basavanagudi police on Thursday busted a cricket-betting racket and seized Rs. 8.26 lakhs in cash and arresting four bookies.

On information received by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Alok Kumar, the police raided a garment shop on D.V.G Road and arrested its proprietor, Sampathraj, the main bookie, and his three accomplices.

The police said Sampathraj and his accomplices were taking bets on matches played as part of ongoing one-day international series between India and Sri Lanka. Investigations revealed that the bookies had transacted a business of Rs. 35 lakhs during each of the six matches played so far. The bookies had taken down the names of punters in a coded language, the police said. The police seized six mobile phones through which the accused were taking the bets.

Sampathraj (38), a native of Rajasthan, had opened the garment shop on D.V.G. Road six months ago, they said. The police suspect that similar betting rackets could be flourishing in other parts of the city.

The names of the three others arrested were given as Sandeep (25) of Commercial Street, Anji (23) of Fraser Town and Devaraj (36) of Sarakki.

"Impostor" arrested

The Cubbon Park police on Wednesday arrested a man from Ranebennur in Haveri district who had allegedly cheated the public by claiming to be Sujith Somasundar, the captain of the Karnataka Ranji cricket team.

The police said the accused, Kalkere Renukappa Somashekarappa, had obtained a passport in the name of Sujith and had some press clippings on the cricketer's achievements.

The police said Renukappa had approached several cricket players at district and zone levels and demanded Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 from them, promising them a place in the State Ranji team. Claiming to be Sujith, he had approached prospective brides and cheated them, the police said. On Wednesday, a young cricketer, Basavaraj of Ranebennur, approached Sujith at the Chinnaswamy Stadium while he was practising with the ace leg spinner Anil Kumble.

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