Nagpur: Acting on a tip-off, the Crime Branch of Nagpur City Police busted a cricket betting racket operating during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match between India and New Zealand, officials said on Monday.
According to police, officers from Crime Branch Unit-3 received credible information that illegal betting was being conducted from a house in Thakre Layout near Faras Chowk in Gita Nagar, under the jurisdiction of Mankapur Police Station.
Gold Rate
Mar 9, 2026 - Time 11.45Hrs
Based on the information, a police team laid a trap and conducted a raid between 9.20 pm on March 8 and 12.20 am on March 9. During the operation, two accused, Chaitanyakumar Gangaram Thakre (55), a resident of Khapri Mohalla near Itwari Post Office, and Purushottam Dashrath Sonkusare (53) of Anmol Nagar, Wathoda, were caught red-handed accepting bets from customers through mobile phones.
Police seized a television set, 10 mobile phones of different companies, and other electronic equipment collectively valued at around Rs 1.38 lakh from the spot.
During interrogation, the accused revealed that they were operating the betting racket with the help of their associates Sanju Ramteke, Hemraj Namdeorao Kohad, both residents of Shrikrishna Nagar, Nandanvan, and Avinash Khadke of Lalganj, Chakna Chowk. Police said efforts are underway to trace the absconding accused.
A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Maharashtra gambling laws at Mankapur Police Station, and further investigation is underway.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of Ravinder Kumar Singal, Commissioner of Police, Navinchandra Reddy, Joint Commissioner of Police, Vasant Pardeshi, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rahul Maknikar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detection), and Abhijeet Patil, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch).
Four booked for gambling in Wadi
In a separate action, officials from Crime Branch Unit-1 raided a public place near SP Enterprises in Shivaji Nagar, Dakhani Mohalla under Wadi Police Station limits on Sunday evening.
During the raid, four persons, Shrikant Prakash Bortule (19), Rahul Wamanrao Thakre (31), Harish Santosh Naiknavare (25) and Vaibhav Dilip Neware (30), were caught allegedly gambling by placing money bets while playing cards.
Police seized Rs 3,000 in cash, four mobile phones, two two-wheelers, playing cards and other materials worth Rs 1.85 lakh in total.
A case has been registered against the accused under Section 12 of the Maharashtra Gambling Prevention Act at Wadi Police Station. The accused along with the seized property have been handed over to Wadi Police for further investigation.
