Five involved in online cricket betting arrested

Indore: Lasudia police have busted a gang allegedly operating an online cricket betting racket during the ongoing IPL season. Five people were arrested following a raid near Gulmohar Colony area on Sunday.Acting on a tip-off, a police team cordoned off a suspicious vehicle parked on the main road in Nipania. Three suspects found inside the car were caught using mobile phones to facilitate bets through an online platform, Dream Exchange.Police seized three mobile phones containing specialized betting apps, user IDs, and detailed records of financial transactions. The vehicle used in the crime was also confiscated.The arrested accused, 23-year-old Mohammad Sikandar, 23-year-old Mohammad Sultan and 21-year-old Apurv Yadav revealed that two persons, 22-year-old Anurag and 21-year-old Karan provided the bank accounts used to manage the betting proceeds. Consequently, the police traced and arrested both accomplices from Bhopal.A case has been registered under the Madhya Pradesh Public Gambling Act, 1976. Investigators were examining the seized mobile data to trace the larger network and identify additional bank accounts linked to the illegal operation.The police have initiated preventive action against the accused to curb further gambling activities in the region.