Cricket bookie held, kingpin absconding

Hyderabad, March 30 (INN): Task Force sleuths of the Central Zone Team on Wednesday arrested one cricket bookie for accepting bets on the second World Cup semi-final clash between India and Pakistan. However, the kingpin of the betting gang is absconding.

The accused has been identified as Anil Kumar Agarwal, who was working under the kingpin of cricket betting racket namely Vishwas. Anil Kumar was accepting bettings on the second semi-final played between India and Pakistan at Mohali Stadium.

The sleuths also seized Rs 20,000 in cash, one colour television set, four cell phones and incriminating materials from his possession. Police said the accused Anil Kumar Agarwal is a native of Didwana (V), Nagore district of Rajasthan. He along with family members had migrated to Hyderabad and started living at Jambagh area about 40 years back.

Anil Kumar and his father are into the business of running chits and finance to business people on interest basis. The accused habituated in playing cards in clubs through his friends and leading a lavish life.

Earlier, he came into contact with one Pritesh of Hyderabad through his common friends. The police said Pritesh informed the accused that he is into the illegal business of accepting cricket betting's from punters and earning good money and offered the accused Anil Kumar Agarwal to join hands with him in accepting cricket betting's as he is having good relations with business people.

For which he promised him to pay good commission out of betting amounts. On that the accused Anil Kumar Agarwal agreed to his offer with an intention to earn money in easy way and started collecting cricket betting's over cell phones on the instructions and directions of Pritesh.

About two years back, the accused Anil Kumar broke the relationship with Pritesh due to differences arose between them in financial matters. Since then the accused was accepting cricket betting's from the punters at his residence and other secret places on his own and making good money.

About a year or so, he came in contact with one Vishwas of Hyderabad at Cheiran Fort Club and both joined hands together in running illegal business of accepting cricket betting's.

The accused Anil Kumar Agarwal again started working under the absconding Vishwas in accepting cricket betting's from punters in the International Cricket matches/tournaments on 10 per cent commission basis.

The modus operandi employed by Anil Kumar Agarwal is that as per the directions and instructions of absconding accused Vishwas the accused accepts cricket betting's at his residence over cell phones on ongoing cricket matches from the punters. In some case punters directly visit his place and pay the amounts and remaining pay the betting amounts later.

The arrested accused along with seized material handed over to Afzalgunj Police Station for taking further action.