Siliguri, 15th May: A thriving online betting racket on IPL matches has emerged in the city, with its mastermind operating from Dubai and targeting various business establishments in Siliguri, including grocery and jewelry shops.
According to reports, these targeted businesses receive a share of the profits based on the bid money involved in the illegal betting activities. The mastermind, based in Dubai, orchestrated the illicit betting operations through an online app called Sky Exchange, which facilitated daily bets worth crores of rupees. Promptly, upon receiving information regarding this illegal betting racket, the Special Operations Group (SOG) and Matigara Police Station initiated a hunt for the mastermind.
In a previous joint operation, the SOG and Bhakti Nagar Police Station exposed a betting racket being conducted within the confines of a grocery shop in the Shivarampally area of Haiderpara. The operation led to the arrest of Basudeb Saha, one of the accused. Subsequently, in another joint operation, an IPL betting operation disguised as a jewelry shop located inside a shopping mall was exposed. Sundar Lal Dugar, the owner of the shop named Garima Jewellery, was apprehended during the operation.
Sources reveal that Sundar Lal Dugar, allegedly wielding influence, attempted to leverage his connections and acquaintances with prominent leaders while being arrested by the police. Meanwhile, the SOG and Matigara Police Station are diligently working to trace the mastermind based on the information disclosed by Sundar Lal Dugar. Furthermore, the police are investigating potential links between the cases involving Basudeb Saha and Sundar Lal Dugar, as well as exploring possible connections to larger networks involved in the betting racket. Additionally, authorities have initiated an inquiry to determine the legitimacy of the online app used in these illegal activities.