RAIGARH, CHHATTISGARH | In a major crackdown on illegal online cricket betting during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Raigarh Police conducted coordinated raids at three separate locations in Raigarh city under a special anti-gambling initiative named “Operation Ankush.”
The large-scale operation, carried out under the direction of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shashi Mohan Singh, led to the arrest of five alleged betting operators accused of running organized online cricket gambling networks linked to IPL matches.
Police seized approximately ₹2.70 lakh in cash, multiple smartphones, an electronic currency-counting machine, and several pieces of digital evidence connected to online betting activities. The total value of seized assets is estimated at nearly ₹4.70 lakh.
Authorities registered separate criminal cases against the accused under the Chhattisgarh Gambling Prohibition Act.
Major Anti-Betting Operation Conducted Across Three Locations
The raids were jointly executed by the Cyber Police Unit and Kotwali Police Station under the supervision of:
- CSP Mayank Mishra
- DSP Cyber Unnati Thakur
Police said the operation targeted organized online betting syndicates using mobile phones, betting apps, digital wallets, and UPI payment systems to conduct illegal wagering on IPL cricket matches.
First Raid: Betting Operation Busted at Kotraroad Bypass
In the first operation, police received intelligence regarding online cricket betting being conducted from the office of an R.S. Trading Company located near Kotraroad Bypass.
During the raid, police arrested:
- Saket Singhania
Investigators allegedly found him operating online IPL betting through mobile phones.
Digital Evidence Seized
Police reported recovering:
- Betting IDs
- WhatsApp betting chats
- UPI payment QR codes
- Digital transaction records
Authorities also seized:
- One Vivo smartphone
- One iPhone 13 Pro
According to police, the accused admitted during questioning that he was part of a larger betting network operating in coordination with other associates.
He was later sent to judicial custody.
Second Raid: Betting Network Exposed Near Punjab National Bank
In another raid near an old Punjab National Bank branch area, police allegedly uncovered an online betting operation being run from a ration shop.
Police arrested:
- Ritesh Dalmia
During interrogation, investigators claim he revealed the involvement of additional associates, including:
- Pintu Halwai
- Raunak Modanwal
- Priyanka Halwai
Based on the information, police conducted follow-up raids in the Chandmari area and detained Raunak Modanwal and Priyanka Halwai.
Items Recovered During Search
Police seized:
- Two iPhones
- Vivo and Samsung smartphones
- ₹2.69 lakh in cash
- An electronic note-counting machine
Officials said the seizure provided critical evidence regarding the financial operations of the betting syndicate.
Third Raid: Online Betting Allegedly Run From Rental Apartment
In the third operation, police raided a rented apartment near Carmel School in the Sanjay Maidan Rambhantha area.
Police arrested:
- Pradeep Kumar Pandey
Investigators claim they found evidence of IPL betting activity on his mobile device, including:
- Cricket betting applications
- PhonePe transaction records
- Screenshots of digital betting payments
Police stated that digital transactions worth nearly ₹89,950 linked to betting operations were identified from the seized device.
Authorities alleged that the accused admitted involvement with the same betting network connected to other arrested individuals.
Meanwhile, accused suspect Pintu Halwai remains absconding and has been named in all three cases.
Complete List of Arrested Accused
The arrested individuals include:
- Pradeep Kumar Pandey
- Ritesh Dalmia
- Priyanka Halwai
- Raunak Modanwal
- Saket Singhania
Total Seizure by Police
Authorities confirmed the seizure of:
- ₹2.70 lakh cash
- Electronic currency-counting machine
- Two iPhones
- One OnePlus smartphone
- Two Vivo smartphones
- One Samsung smartphone
Police also secured extensive digital evidence connected to online betting and money transactions.
SSP Issues Strong Warning Against Online Gambling
SSP Shashi Mohan Singh stated that online cricket betting poses serious financial and social risks, especially to young people.
He emphasized that Raigarh Police will continue aggressive enforcement actions against illegal betting and gambling syndicates operating through digital platforms.
According to the SSP:
“Online cricket betting is damaging youth and society economically and socially. Raigarh Police is continuously taking technical and ground-level action against such organized crimes. Strict legal action will be taken against anyone found involved in these illegal activities.”
Police Team Involved in the Operation
The operation involved officers from Kotwali Police Station and the Cyber Cell, including:
- Inspector Sukhnandan Patel
- Inspector Vijay Chelak
- SI Ainu Devangan
- ASI Gautam Thakur
- ASI Amrit Minj
- Other police personnel and cyber investigation staff
The raids form part of an ongoing statewide crackdown on cyber-enabled gambling and illegal online betting activities during the IPL season.
