The Crime Branch of Pune City Police on Sunday conducted raids and arrested two alleged bookies for betting on the ongoing IPL tournaments.
The police have recovered over Rs 92 lakh in cash from their possession and have started the search for others involved in the racket.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta on Sunday received a tip-off that people are betting on Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore matches. Gupta ordered the formation of several teams from the Economic Offenses Wing and the Crime Branch to conduct raids at various places in the city.
In the first raid conducted under the jurisdiction of Samarth police station, the police team arrested Ganesh Bhutada (50), a resident of Rasta Peth, who was allegedly betting on IPL matches. A total of Rs 92 lakh in cash, several cell phones and a cash counting machine have been seized from him, police said. Bhutada has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code under the Gambling Prevention Act and the Indian Telegraph Act. After that the search for other people related to him was started.
In the second action, the police raided a place in the market yard and arrested a man, Ashok Bhavarlal Jain (48), who was also allegedly betting on IPL matches. Police have seized cash and other things worth Rs 60,000 from him. Bhutada has been booked under the Gambling Prevention Act along with various Indian Penal Codes.
Senior crime branch officials said their teams were probing the involvement of more bookies in the betting racket.
The investigation teams conducted the raids under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners of Police Priyanka Naranware and Bhagyashree Navateke along with Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta and Joint Commissioner Ravindra Shisve.
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