Rachakonda: On 14th April 2023, the Special Operations Team (SOT) of LB Nagar Zone in Rachakonda, along with the Chaitanyapuri Police, successfully busted an IPL-2023 cricket betting racket in Hyderabad, India. The sleuths apprehended three accused persons, identified as Edukulla Jagadeesh, Jakkireddy Ashok Reddy, and Vodupu Charan, while they were accepting cricket betting over a mobile phone while watching a match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders.
During the operation, the police team seized a net cash amount of Rs. 20,00,000/- (Twenty Lakhs) and 7 mobile phones, as well as froze a bank account belonging to one of the accused persons with a balance of Rs. 1,42,07,573/-. The operation was carried out under CR. NO.300/2023 U/S. 3&4 of Telangana State Gaming Act-1974 of Chaitanyapuri Police Station, Rachakonda.
In addition to the above-mentioned accused persons, the police also identified three other individuals who were part of the cricket betting racket. These individuals were identified as Palasa Srinivas Rao, Suresh Myalabathula alias Shiva, and Vipul Monga. Of these three, Palasa Srinivas Rao and Suresh Myalabathula were identified as bookies and were absconding at the time of the operation, while Vipul Monga was identified as the main bookie, who was operating the racket from Haryana State.
The police team also seized several bank accounts belonging to the accused persons, including accounts belonging to Dhane Vishwakarma, Krishna Communications, Om Shivam Traders, and E. Radha Bank of Baroda. The balance in these accounts ranged from Rs.1, 06,468/- to Rs.49,32,751/-.
According to the police, Edukulla Jagadeesh, one of the sub-bookies, was addicted to betting and was earning easy money by organizing cricket bettings in Hyderabad. Jakkireddy Ashok Reddy, another accused person, was a real estate agent who was addicted to cricket bettings and had lost around 100 crores over the past 10-12 years. Vodupu Charan, the third accused person, was a software employee and was working as a collection agent to Suresh Myalabathula alias Shiva.
The accused Jakkireddy Ashok Reddy introduced the other sub-bookies, Suresh Myalabathula alias Shiva and Palasa Srinivas Rao, to Jagadeesh. Jakkireddy Ashok Reddy was also maintaining direct contact with the main bookie, Vipul Monga, from Haryana State. The trio had been running the racket through ‘National exchange?’ from which they created user IDs and supplied the same, along with passwords, to their clients.
The accused persons had resorted to collecting cricket bettings in and around Hyderabad from punters to make easy and quick money. During the IPL-2023 season, approximately 3 crores rupees had been exchanged, directly and through banks, by these accused persons.
The arrests were made under the direct supervision of Mr. D.S Chauhan, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda Police Commissionerate, and the guidance of Mr. K. Muralidhar, DCP, SOT, LB Nagar-Maheshwaram Zone, Rachakonda, by Mr. A. Sudhakar, Inspector SOT, LB Nagar Zone Team and Chaitanyapuri Police. The successful operation was significant.
Our Citizen Reporter
Bharat Reddy
Telangana
