IPL betting: Two arrested, ₹93 lakh seized by Pune police

The Pune police raided multiple places and arrested two men for betting and accepting bets on the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in Dubai

PUNE: The Pune police raided multiple places and arrested two men for betting and accepting bets on the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in Dubai, according to a statement issued by Amitabh Gupta, commissioner of Pune police. A cache of cash and mobile phones collectively worth around ₹1 crore was recovered from the duo.

The two were identified as Ganesh Bhivraj Bhutada (50) of Trimurti Society in Rasta peth and Ashok Bhavarlal Jain (48) of Hyde Park in Market Yard.

“Commissioner Gupta received information about illegal operation of online betting on IPL cricket matches and he ordered action against them,” read the statement by Pune police.

Bhutada was found with cash worth ₹92,00,000 and a mobile phone and cash counting machine together estimated to be worth ₹65,000. Jain was found with ₹51,700 in cash, along with seven mobile phones, letter pad, and mobile stand which were collectively estimated to be worth ₹7,000.

Two separate cases were registered against the two - one at Samarth police station against Bhutada and one at Market Yard police station against Jain.

Both the men are facing charges of cheating, forgery, using forged documents as genuine, and sections of the law criminalising gambling in the two isolated cases.

The action was led by Priyanka Narnavare, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 1 and Bhagyahsree Navatake, deputy commissioner of police, cyber crime cell and economic offences wing (EoW) of Pune police by forming multiple teams.