Bhubaneswar: In a crackdown on illegal gambling, the Sundargarh Police has busted an IPL betting racket in Rajgangpur and apprehended five persons allegedly involved in operating the network.
Acting on specific intelligence, a special team was constituted on the direction of the Superintendent of Police, Sundargarh. The team carried out a targeted raid on Sunday and detected the betting operation, where the accused were found collecting money and managing betting activities linked to ongoing IPL matches.
Police have registered a case at Rajgangpur Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with applicable sections of the Odisha Prevention of Gambling Act and related laws. Investigation is currently underway.
During the operation, officials seized cash amounting to ₹6 lakh and froze bank funds worth ₹17.61 lakh, taking the total financial involvement in the racket to ₹23.61 lakh. Five mobile phones used in coordinating betting activities were also recovered.
Police said the arrested individuals were part of a local network engaged in facilitating IPL-related betting, commonly referred to as satta. Authorities are now probing further to uncover the wider network and possible interstate linkages.
The operation was carried out by a team of officers including sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors under senior supervision.
Police officials reiterated their commitment to cracking down on illegal betting and gambling activities in the district, particularly during high-profile sporting events.
