Rs 400/day cricketers, Harsha Bhogle mimic, YouTube telecast: A Gujarat village’s elaborate Russian betting rip-off

It’s a moist July 7 afternoon with overcast circumstances in Vadnagar, Mehsana, as two groups – “Chennai Fighters’” and “Gandhinagar Challengers” – face off in a T20 cricket match.

Batting first, Chennai Fighters are 99/3 in 14.3 overs, having simply misplaced a wicket. “Hasan Ali”, a right-handed batsman, hits a strong straight drive as a shaky digital camera reveals the umpire signalling a boundary. Interestingly, the cameras by no means present the ball truly reaching the boundary rope.

It is the precise second when curtains fall on this “fake cricket tournament” as a particular operations group (SOG) of Mehsana Police raids the bottom. A repeat of the stay telecast of the T20 match on YouTube reveals the umpire shifting anxiously as a police crew approaches him from the boundary. Moments later, the umpire palms over his walkie-talkie to one of many gamers and runs for his life. The match is named off unexpectedly because the shaky digital camera goes clean in the course of the stay broadcast.

According to Mehsana Police, a gang was operating an elaborate present within the type of a pretend “cricket tournament” so as to dupe bettors in Russia. The gamers have been employed for a measly Rs 400 per day, the cricket floor was truly a farmland in Molipur of Vadnagar, there have been speaker techniques blaring pretend crowd noise, a commentator was employed to mimic broadcaster Harsha Bhogle, and the umpire was receiving directions on his walkie-talkie and passing them on to gamers concerning the betting prospects on each supply.

Everything in regards to the proceedings – the match, the setting, the gamers, umpires, the viewers – was fastened.

Mehsana Police arrested 4 individuals – Soeb Davda, Mahmad Saqib Saifi, Mahmad Abu Bakar Kolu and Sadiq Davda, all residents of Molipur in Vadnagar, for operating this elaborate rip-off whereby “a lot of money was made through bets.” They have been taken in police remand until Tuesday below Sections 120B of the Indian Penal Code for felony conspiracy, sections of the IT Act and the Prevention of Gambling Act.

Everything in regards to the proceedings – the match, the setting, the gamers, umpires, the viewers – was fastened. (Screengrab/Youtube)

“After a police crew raided the spot, we discovered {that a} piece of farmland has been transformed right into a cricket floor the place a white colored mat has been laid down because the pitch. A single digital camera has been put in on a small cabin constructed 90 levels to the pitch whereas on the west facet of the bottom, two males have been stationed with two LED TV Screens.

“One of the screens displayed the score as Chennai Fighters 103/3 while the other screen displayed a Telegram messenger chat box where betting rates were being projected. We stopped the match and questioned the captains of both Chennai Fighters (Sanjay Thakor) and Gandhinagar Challengers (Sukhaji Thakor). Both were residents of Vadnagar and told us that they were paid Rs 400 daily to pretend to play cricket. The players were provided cricket jerseys, kits and other equipment and asked to follow the instructions of the two umpires who dictated to them how to play every ball,” mentioned VN Rathod, police sub-inspector, Mehsana SOG, in his official criticism.

According to police, it was Soeb Davda who allegedly rounded up native cricket-playing boys from Vadnagar taluka to hitch his charade.

“It was Soeb who provided Rs 400 per day to the native boys and likewise rented the farmland of 1 Ghulambhai Masi to organise this event. Similarly, two umpires Mahmad Kolu and Sadiq Davda have been receiving directions on walkie-talkie from Soeb.

“Soeb has informed us that he was in touch on the Telegram app with one Asif Mahmad from Russia, who used to organise betting over there on the tournament. The fourth accused, Mahmad Saqib Saifi was coordinating with Asif Mahmad of Russia, who gave him the live betting rates,” added Rathod.

A repeat of the stay telecast of the T20 match on YouTube reveals the umpire shifting anxiously as a police crew approaches him from the boundary. Moments later, the umpire palms over his walkie-talkie to one of many gamers and runs for his life. (Screengrab Youtube)

According to Achal Tyagi, superintendent of police, Mehsana, it was Asif Mahmad sitting in Russia who was the mastermind of the flowery cricket rip-off. Asif has additionally been booked below the identical sections. Preliminary investigations have discovered that the gang acquired bets from Tver and Moscow in Russia.

“It was Asif who paid Rs 3-4 lakh to the accused gang, asking them to search for a floor and rent gamers, tools and different stuff. The 4 accused weren’t making any cash initially however have been promised that if all goes effectively, they are going to be handsomely rewarded with Rs 70,000 per thirty days.

“A total of 24 players were hired by this gang from Vadnagar and divided into five teams by shuffling them. Different jerseys were also made for these five teams. The fake cricket tournament had been going on for the past 15 days,” mentioned Tyagi.