Hyderabad: The special operations team of Cyberabad busted an interstate online cricket betting racket in Bachupally and arrested the kingpin and his three associates.
The police seized over Rs 15 lakh cash from their possession. The organiser, Gontu Ravikiran Reddy, is reported to be associated with a political party in AP. The police said that the suspects were transferring money online. The other three arrested persons are identified as K. Koti Reddy, G. Appanna and M. Ajay Reddy, while Venki Babu, hailing from West Godavari, is absconding.
According to the police, the kingpin, Ravikiran Reddy, came in contact with Koti Reddy more than two years ago after he incurred loss in hostel business. He decided to enter the online betting business for making easy money. He employed Appanna and Ajay and rented a penthouse at Pragathi Nagar under the Bachupally police station limits.
Ravikiran procured a communication box with 26 lines along with a monitor and laptops. “Venki provided the betting rates to Ravikiran, who communicated it to the punters,” said P. Vishwaprasad, DCP Madhapur.
After the match, the betting transactions along with the winners and losers were processed by Ravikiran and Koti Reddy, who pay the punters after deducting a 20 per cent commission.
After two or three matches, they paid the amount to Venki Babu. Police seized Rs 15.28 lakh and other material from their possession.
