Bookies placed bets on UK site

Crime Branch officers said the bookies were operating an account on the popular website,www.betfair.com,and were making use of its betting assessment software to manage their operations.

“Someone in the UK had opened an account on betfair.com,and given the password to the arrested men,who used it to access the website and place bets on IPL matches. When the raid was conducted,bets were being placed on a ball-to-ball basis,over-to-over basis,and on runs made by batsmen or conceded by bowlers,” a Crime Branch officer said.

“We had written to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) in New Delhi around a year ago to block the website in India,” the officer said.

Crime Branch officers also said the racket busted on Thursday was linked to a larger betting syndicate operating from Dubai and Pakistan,which is estimated to have an annual turnover of several hundred crore rupees.

Police said Sonu Jalan had narrowly escaped during a raid conducted by the Mumbai Police on two flats in Lokhandwala in October 2011. Besides Jalan,Suresh Nagri alias Junior Kolkata — allegedly one of the most notorious bookies in the country — had escaped with five others during the raid.

The police had arrested eight alleged bookies,and seized Rs 1.02 crore and 123 mobile phones during the raid.

“We have learnt that Junior Kolkata was also involved in the racket busted on Thursday,” the officer said.