The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Cricket punters make a killing in city Law & Order

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Saturday, Jul 12, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Cricket punters make a killing in city Law & Order

It is estimated that a minimum of Rs. 2 crore exchanged hands during every IPL match, writes Marri Ramu

A laptop, a television set, few mobile phones and space for two to three persons to sit is all that is required to organise a cricket betting racket.

None would have believed this till the Commissioner’s Task Force (South) team raided a building at Begumbazar recently and found three persons accepting bets on cricket matches using a laptop, a television and10 mobile phones. But the trio’ ;s confession that betting on cricket matches was rampant in the State capital came as a jolt to the police.

Information gathered by investigators suggest that there are about 50 active ‘bookies’ and operators in the city. They would accept bets on any cricket match telecast live from any part of the globe. When a match is played, each bookie on an average would make a business ranging between Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh. It is estimated that a minimum of Rs. 2 crore exchange hands in the city during a single match.

Initially, investigators didn’t believe that betting transactions were going on such large scale. But the arrested persons told the police that betting on cricket matches is rampant in Hyderabad and they made roaring business during the recently held IPL matches.

Despite the leads, police find it difficult to gather evidence against the bookies. Firstly, the racketeers accept bets only through known customers. Unless a punter approaches through familiar persons, the bets are not accepted.

Special software

They would never meet the customer directly and converse only over mobile phones. Unlike other illegal businesses, organising betting on cricket matches doesn’t require big set up. The betting operators developed special software that would help them estimate gains and losses of the punters. Using a laptop with this software and wireless Internet connection, they feed the details as and when the betting calls are received.

First, they would scribble details of the calls on a piece of paper. As soon as the match is over, they tear the paper and delete data fed into the computer or laptop to ensure no clue is left for police to track them even if their hideout is raided.

Interestingly, the data noted on the paper and entered in the computer is coded and difficult to decipher.

Though police busted such rackets earlier, the cases were not taken to the logical end. In November last, they picked up two persons from a house at Kushaiguda on similar charge.

The accused persons reportedly admitted that a film producer too was involved in the crime but police could not make headway into the probe so far for reasons best known to them.

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