₹3.5 crore cash seized from online betting racket operator in east Delhi

A 45-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly running an online betting racket through multiple mobile applications and online gaming portals and ₹3

A 45-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly running an online betting racket through multiple mobile applications and online gaming portals and ₹3.5 crore cash has been recovered from his apartment, said police a day after his arrest on Monday.

The police said they are investigating the case further to ascertain the entire network.

A laptop and a mobile phone used in the crime have also been recovered. Deputy commissioner of police (east) Priyanka Kashyap said, “The income tax department has been informed about the recovery of the cash. The arrested man’s links with betting operators based in foreign countries, such as Dubai, are being probed.”

The man has been identified as Sanjeev Rathore, a mechanical engineer originally from Uttar Pradesh, who was living in an apartment in IP Extension for the past three years.

Kashyap said keeping pace with the changing technology, betting operators, like Rathore, who are well versed with the nuances of modern day technology, provide a wide number of choices to aspiring betters. “He provided a window of gambling to any one, sitting in any corner of the world, to place bets on any ongoing game around the globe,” said the DCP.

“The betters taking his service had the option to place bets on football, tennis, rugby matches sitting in the comfort of their homes with complete safety and anonymity without the need for making any phone calls in this regard,” she added.

Police said Rathore was operating on various online apps such as Sky, Ice, Gold and Diamond specially developed for betting purposes. The betters could download the same from Google Play Store and Apple Store. However, Rathore provided the user IDs and passwords only after receiving a hefty payment and commission, said police.

“Being tech-savvy, Rathore had been maintaining an online book, keeping a record of all such transactions for the ‘ease’ of his clients. All dealing was being done in cash. The betters always had the option of redeeming the winning bets in cash from Rathore, which necessitated the need to keep such a large amount of cash at home,” said Kashyap.

The police said they are investigating the case further to ascertain the entire network, of which Rathore was a key member, and identify other players.