Fake cricket league busted in UP, Gujarat

Days after an elaborate betting con, targeting Russian punters and involving farmers in a Gujarat village, was busted for organising a fake ‘Indian Premier League’-like tournament, a syndicate with a similar modus operandi in Uttar Pradesh was uncovered with two accused landing in police net.

The fake cricket league, which went by the name “Big Boss T20 Punjab League”, was held at cricket grounds in Meerut, nearly 60 kilometres from New Delhi, with organisers luring punters to bet on the matches through a mobile application “Cric Heroes.” The ‘mastermind’ of this caper ran the entire operation remotely from Russia’s capital Moscow according to police officials, with a methodology similar to the fake cricket league busted in Gujarat a few days ago. Two accused in the caper, identified as Shitab alias Shabbu and Rishabh were arrested near the Meerut bypass road by a police team.

“Ashok Chaudhary, the ‘mastermind’ used to pay Rishabh Rs 40,000- Rs 50,000 per match.’Players’ were also paid for the matches,” said Deepak Bhuker, Superintendent of Police, Hapur.

“After analysing WhatsApp calls and messages of the arrested suspects it was found that the phone numbers were from Russia and one number was of the Pakistan series. We will further probe these numbers…these matches were being held in Meerut for the past four to five months,” said the police official.

The Gujarat betting syndicate began three weeks after the real IPL matches culminated.