12 major bookies on police radar in Fatehabad, lookout circulars issued

In a major crackdown on illegal cricket betting, the Fatehabad police have tightened the noose around 12 top bookies operating in the district. For the first time in the region, the police have issued lookout circulars against these individuals, preventing them from fleeing the country.

According to officials, the lookout circulars have been shared with airport authorities. Now, if any of these suspects tries to leave India, the alert will immediately be sent to the Fatehabad police. The unprecedented move marks a serious escalation in action against illegal betting networks in the region.

The police have also uncovered a major online betting portal used for cricket gambling. The portal allows bookies to issue usernames and passwords to users for placing bets. Acting on the instructions of SP Siddhant Jain, the Fatehabad police have already written to Google and the service provider concerned to remove the portal from search engine listings. Efforts are also being made to involve the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to trace financial links.

Over the last 10 days, two FIRs have been registered, and five individuals have been arrested. During interrogation, the accused revealed the names of major bookies involved in the racket. Based on the information, the police gathered detailed profiles and took steps to block their international movement.

SP Siddhant Jain said to the media that details of both movable and immovable properties of the accused had been collected. The police are now preparing to file applications in court for property attachment orders.

“This is just the beginning. Fatehabad has long been affected by gambling, and we are committed to dismantling the network,” said Jain. He emphasised that the lookout notices had been officially sent to the airport authorities and any attempt by the accused to flee the country would be immediately flagged.

Sources say the crackdown gained momentum when the police detained a small-time bookie from the local grain market who had recently lost crores in cricket betting. Under pressure from larger bookies to clear dues, he approached the police for protection and shared critical information, including names, phone numbers and hideouts of major players in the syndicate. The police are now using his testimony to build their case against the top bookies. However, there are concerns that the matter could quietly fade if pressure from influential circles was asserted on the police.

Residents and law enforcement observers are urging the authorities to stay firm and ensure that this bold action leads to long-term change in the fight against organised gambling in Fatehabad.