ED raids 8 locations over illegal IPL betting; Rs 4-crore assets seized

The ED seized documents, cash and electronic devices worth Rs 4 crore during searches conducted at eight locations in Mumbai and Kutch in connection with the ‘Fairplay’ betting app case. The case involves illegal broadcasting of cricket and IPL matches and online betting activities.

During the search operations, various incriminating documents, digital devices, immovable property related documents, movable assets like cash, bank funds and silver bars to the tune of Rs 4 crore were either seized or frozen. Total seizure in this case till date amounts to Rs 117 crore. The ED initiated had investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by Viacom18 Media Pvt Limited with Nodal Cyber Police, Mumbai, against Fairplay Sport LLC and others various sections of IPC, Information Technology Act, 2000, and Copyright Act, 1957, for causing loss of revenue of more than Rs 100 crore (proceeds of crime).

ED probe revealed that Krish Laxmichand Shah (the key person behind Fairplay) had registered various companies such as M/s Play Ventures NV and M/s Dutch Antilles Management NV at Curacao, M/s Fair Play Sport LLC, M/s Fairplay Management DMCC at Dubai and M/s Play Ventures Holding Limited at Malta for the operations of Fairplay. It further came to be known that Fairplay was being operated from Dubai. The search action was carried upon persons providing technical and financial management support services to Fairplay.

Incriminating documents seized during the search also revealed the purchase of high value assets in India by the suspects amounting to more than Rs 100 crore.