BANGALORE: In view of the ongoing Champions trophy tournament, the Bangalore police are keeping a close watch on suspected bookies and certain places in the city to check betting during matches.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Gopal B. Hosur on Wednesday said officers had been instructed to keep a tab on those who were arrested earlier on charges of taking bets on the cricket matches.

Bookies operated from certain places in High Grounds, Chamarajpet, Jayanagar and Basavanagudi and these places were under observation, he said.

"Betting is likely to gain momentum once India starts playing its matches," Mr. Hosur said.

In the past two years, the city police have busted several cricket betting rackets.

The biggest of them was detected by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) officials in February. The police raided a house in Mahalakshmi Layout police station limits, arrested seven bookies and seized from them Rs. 31.50 lakh in cash, 23 mobile phones, a colour television set, a computer and a laptop.

The accused were allegedly accepting bets on the fourth one-day international cricket match that was played between India and Pakistan in Multan.

In November 2005, the Basavanagudi police busted a similar racket and seized Rs. 8.26 lakh in cash by arresting four bookies after raiding a garment shop on D.V.G Road.

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