Fake Indian Premier League for Russian gamblers busted by police

A gang of conmen convinced Russian gamblers that a group of farm labourers and unemployed kids playing cricket on a remote farm in the western state of Gujarat were playing the Indian Premier League. They were paid $5 a game to do their best professional cricket impersonations. The organisers accepted bets from Russian punters in Tver, Vorone and Moscow. Shoeb Davda, the chief organiser, later took the bets himself. The scam lasted until the quarterfinal stage of the tournament before police busted the racket. It was reminiscent of The Sting. Police inspector Bhavesh Rathod explained the set-up to stunned reporters.