Anti-extortion cell busts online betting racket in Pune’s Kothrud area

The raid was conducted on Saturday at 9:30 pm in the Bhusari colony area of Kothrud, during which the sleuths seized goods estimated to be worth ₹2.20 lakh

The Anti-Extortion Squad (unit I) of Pune Police’s crime branch nabbed 10 individuals allegedly belonging to an international betting racket on charges of carrying out online betting on ongoing IPL matches.

Assistant Police Inspector Pravin Dhamal, the investigative officer in the case, said that the FIR was lodged at Kothrud Police Station. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The raid was conducted on Saturday at 9:30 pm in the Bhusari colony area of Kothrud, during which the sleuths seized goods estimated to be worth ₹2.20 lakh.

The accused are identified as Mukesh Kumar Sahu (24), Devendra Yadav (21), Rahul Yadav, Rohit Yadav (26), Dushyant Sonkar (23), Sandeep Meshram (21), Akhilesh Thakur (24), Mohammad Saudagar (32), and Amit Shendge (32). They have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Prohibition of Gambling Act, and Indian Telegraph Act.

Assistant Police Inspector Pravin Dhamal, the investigative officer in the case, said that the FIR was lodged at Kothrud Police Station. “The Kothrud police and Anti-Extortion Squad One were patrolling the areas within the Kothrud police station limits when they received input about the online gambling den. The anti-extortion cell team raided flat number S/5 on the first floor of Patel Terrace in right Bhusari Colony, where online betting activities were taking place,” he said.

Dhumal further said, “The accused were found engaging in online cricket betting and other forms of gambling via mobile phones and laptops during the raid. Most of them were caught red-handedly fleecing individuals through deceitful means for their gains. Further investigation is on to find the backward and forward linkages of the accused in the case,” he said.