IPL betting bust: Rs 3.91 crore cash, counting machines seized; 5 arrested, kingpin ‘Professor’ on run

KANPUR: In a major operation against illegal IPL betting, Kanpur police dismantled an online gambling network and arrested five people, recovering Rs 3.91 crore in cash along with machines and devices allegedly used to run the racket.Police commissioner Raghubir Lal said the syndicate was operating through the illegal portal and mobile app Bethub24.com, using a system of “master IDs” and sub-IDs to manage betting accounts and transactions.As per news agency PTI, police intercepted a vehicle near Govindpuri bridge on Tuesday night, where two men were allegedly caught placing bets on mobile phones.Questioning of the duo led the cops to a rented house in Kidwai Nagar, where three more men were arrested during a follow-up raid.During the search, police seized Rs 3.91 crore in cash, three currency-counting machines, one currency verification machine, mobile phones and other materials linked to betting activities.The arrested men were identified as Karthik Lakhwani and Rajkumar, who allegedly handled betting operations, along with Kalpesh, Ravi Nai and Vishnu, all from Gujarat, who were tasked with moving and managing cash, the report said.Police said the alleged mastermind, Manish alias “Professor”, is absconding. His last traced location was in Pune, and teams are working to track him down.Officers said the gang used social media links to attract users, encouraging them to download the app and open betting accounts. According to police, winnings up to Rs 1 lakh were transferred digitally, while bigger payouts were settled in cash.Initial findings further revealed that Lakhwani, who runs a butter paper factory, and Rajkumar had obtained the master betting ID from the absconding kingpin.The three Gujarat-based accused were reportedly paid monthly salaries between Rs 13,000 and Rs 20,000 for handling cash logistics.(With agency inputs)