Nagpur: Unit 3 of the Crime Branch conducted a major operation during the live Kolkata vs Lucknow T-20 IPL match, uncovering an illegal cricket betting racket operating within Nagpur city limits. The was carried out under the jurisdiction of Beltarodi Police Station.

Based on confidential information, the Crime Branch team raided a location in Manish Nagar, where the accused were found actively accepting bets from customers over phone calls on the ongoing IPL match. The operation revealed that the individuals were engaged in organized cricket betting, commonly referred to as “khaiwadi.”

Five accused have been arrested in connection with the case. They have been identified as Suraj Umesh Rai (26) from Yavatmal, Sagar Dhanraj Shivhare (35) from Bahadura, Jitendra Shankarrao Khante (30) from Kharbi, Sumit Subhash Rai (34) from Parvati Nagar, and Vicky Ganesh Jaiswal (37) from Manish Nagar, Nagpur.

Police have registered an offense under Crime No. /2026, invoking Sections 336(3), 340(2), 318, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 4 and 5 of the Maharashtra Gambling Act and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.

During the raid, officials seized materials worth approximately ₹11,84,110. The confiscated items include one tablet, ten mobile phones, a calculator, a ball pen, a writing pad, two betting record sheets, one four-wheeler vehicle, and two two-wheelers.

The operation was carried out by a dedicated police team led by PI Mahesh Sagde, along with PSI Madhukar Kathoke, PSI Amit Deshmukh, ASI Santosh Thakur, HC Vijay Srivas, HC Vinod Gaikwad, PC Dipak Lakde, PC Jitesh Reddy, HC Ajay Patil, PC Vivek Bhoyar, HC Dinesh Dawre, PC Rohit Kale, and PC Dipak Daslawar.

This crackdown highlights the Nagpur Crime Branch’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal betting activities, especially during high-profile IPL matches. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to taking strict action against those involved in gambling networks operating both online and offline.