Asia Cup Cricket Tournament: Police crackdown on betting racket in Gurdaspur; 1 held

Ravi Dhaliwal

Gurdaspur, September 12

The Gurdaspur police have come down heavily on people indulging in illegal betting in the city during the ongoing Asia Cup.

Police sources say the maximum number of bets that are being placed are on India’s matches.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harish Dayama said special teams have been formed to check the malpractice. Late in the evening yesterday, Gurdaspur City SHO Karishma raided a house on Sangalpura road after receiving a tip-off that some persons were placing bets on the clash between India and Pakistan. She said her team was acting on a tip-off from a source.

“We raided the place and recovered Rs 12.23 lakh, a Mercedes car, 14 mobile phones, one lap-top and a Tab. This is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. We have information that in the remaining matches of the Asia Cup, more such bets will be placed. We are sure to come up with a rich haul during the ongoing tournament,” said the SHO.

SHO Karishma herself led the raiding team.

The police arrested one Manjit Singh and have clamped the provisions of Gambling Act and Section 420 of IPC on him. An FIR has been registered at the city police station.

Sources say the cops might be caught in a quagmire of sorts because certain elements, whom the police have identified as bookies, bet on legal betting sites.

An official claimed this was surely a cause of concern because the line between legal online betting and illegal betting is blurred.

The Gurdaspur police have been actively combating illegal betting in recent months, particularly during the last edition of the IPL. However, the cops are unable to eradicate it completely. “The high demand for betting and the constant search for new avenues to place bets, whether through online bookmakers or underground networks, contributes to the persistent nature of illegal betting,” said an officer.

Meanwhile, SHO Karishma said that in the next few days, as the Asia Cup reaches its climax, the police will be taking proactive measures to combat the menace.